Yes, really. His defense was literally outsourced to a chatbot, and apparently the AI flubbed it. Never doubt ChatGPT when it tells you it “can make mistakes. Check important info.” Here we go:
Michel’s new counsel from ArentFox Schiff said that the AI-generated closing argument by Michel’s previous lawyer, David Kenner, was a resounding flop: “Kenner’s closing argument made frivolous arguments, misapprehended the required elements, conflated the schemes and ignored critical weaknesses in the government’s case,” the brief said.
“The AI program failed Kenner, and Kenner failed Michel,” the brief said. “The closing argument was deficient, unhelpful and a missed opportunity that prejudiced the defense.”…
The brief listed a litany of purported failures by Kenner, in addition to the alleged AI closing argument fiasco. Among the most serious is ArentFox’s accusation that Kenner, who is not an expert in complex white-collar cases or lobbying regulations, outsourced trial preparation to inexperienced contract attorneys at an e-discovery company co-founded by Israely, an old friend.
So no, Michel clearly didn’t have the sharpest legal defense money can buy — and his request for a new trial was denied last year. But let’s be honest: the fact that his lawyer couldn’t magically secure an acquittal, AI or no AI, doesn’t mean the attorney was the core problem here.
Michel’s real problem was the mountain of evidence. And prosecutors — who, unlike his lawyer, did not rely on artificial intelligence — laid out exactly how serious his crimes were in their sentencing memo:
Prakazrel Michel betrayed his country for money. He funneled millions of dollars in prohibited foreign contributions into a United States presidential election and attempted to manipulate a sitting president to serve a foreign criminal and a foreign power. Over nearly a decade, Michel’s conspiracies sought to exploit and deceive the White House, the Attorney General, the Secretary of State, political committees, the Federal Election Commission, straw donors, FBI agents, multiple financial institutions, and his own co-conspirators. Michel lied unapologetically and unrelentingly to carry out his schemes. Continue reading…
