When Algorithms Stand Trial: The Curious Case of Rapper Pras Michel

Now, I don’t know about you, but when I think about courtrooms, the last thing that pops into my mind is a robot lawyer spewing out legal jargon. But folks, welcome to the tale of Prakazrel “Pras” Michel, a member of the hip-hop group Fugees, who found himself in a legal entanglement that sounds more like a sci-fi movie than a courtroom drama.

You see, Pras got himself caught up in some multimillion-dollar political conspiracies, which have more twists than a pretzel factory. But that’s not why we’re here today. We’re not a legal blog are we? (Nope!). You see, his lawyer decided to go all ScyFy and employed an AI program by EyeLevel.AI to draft the closing argument. Yup, you read that right… An AI was at the defense stand and probably looked better in a suit than I do!

Now, this wasn’t just any AI. It was labeled as “experimental,” which in tech jargon translates to “We have no idea what it’s gonna do.” The AI was supposed to be the Perry Mason of the digital age, but turned out to be more of a HAL 9000 with a law degree (psst, that’s the robot from 2001: A Space Odyssey). According to Pras’ new counsel, this AI-generated closing argument was a masterclass in how not to defend a case. It mixed up facts like a blender in a margarita bar and made frivolous claims that even a first-year law student would avoid​.

Here’s where the plot thickens – it turns out the AI’s creators had some undisclosed financial tie with Pras’s then-lawyer. The brief pointed out that these guys saw the trial as a golden opportunity to promote their AI baby, CaseFile Connect. So, while Pras was looking for a solid defense, his lawyer was eyeing a solid investment return. Man, talk about a conflict of interest!

And, to make it even worse – the AI was praised for turning “hours or days of legal work into seconds,” which only makes you wonder, were those seconds worth it when our man Pras ended up on the wrong side of the gavel?​

The story of Pras Michel isn’t just a cautionary tale for rappers, but it’s a glaring spotlight on the legal circus we find ourselves in. It’s a world where “to be or not to be guilty” is answered by algorithms and where your defense can be as unpredictable as a software update.

Yeah, we’re making light of the situation, but it also makes you consider the seriousness of it. Are we ready to let machines meddle in matters of justice? Well, obviously not. Do we need to hit the pause button and rethink how we’re letting technology waltz into the courtroom? You bet Pras thinks, hell yeah! 

So, the next time you find yourself in legal trouble, you might want to double-check if your lawyer is flesh and bone or coded in silicone because, in the courtroom, it’s not just about who argues your case but what argues your case. And folks, I’d take Johnnie Cochran over Siri any day!