{"id":2070967,"date":"2023-10-17T20:36:01","date_gmt":"2023-10-18T00:36:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fugees-rapper-convicted-for-laundering-money-into-obama-campaign-seeks-new-trial\/"},"modified":"2023-10-17T20:39:28","modified_gmt":"2023-10-18T00:39:28","slug":"fugees-rapper-convicted-for-laundering-money-into-obama-campaign-seeks-new-trial","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fugees-rapper-convicted-for-laundering-money-into-obama-campaign-seeks-new-trial\/","title":{"rendered":"Fugees rapper seeks new trial for money laundering into Obama campaign conviction."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ffugees-rapper-convicted-for-laundering-money-into-obama-campaign-seeks-new-trial%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2070967&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Former Fugees Member Calls for New Trial, Claims\u200d AI Crafted Closing Argument<\/h2>\n<p>Pras \u200dMichel, a former member of the Fugees who was convicted earlier this year for laundering millions of dollars to President Barack Obama&#8217;s campaign, is seeking a new trial. In a bold move, Michel&#8217;s legal team argues that their closing argument for the jury was crafted using artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n<p>Michel, 50, was found guilty in\u200d April on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fugees-rapper-convicted-for-laundering-money-into-obama-campaign-seeks-new-trial\/\" title=\"Fugees rapper seeks new trial for money laundering into Obama campaign conviction.\">ten criminal counts \u2062related<\/a> to an international conspiracy to help China influence the U.S.\u2063 government. His new legal team\u200c filed a 113-page motion with a federal judge in Washington, claiming that his\u2064 previous lawyer used\u2063 AI technology during the trial, resulting in \u200c&#8221;prejudicial ineffective assistance of\u2064 counsel.&#8221;<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;Kenner &#8216;used\u200d an\u200c experimental artificial intelligence (AI)\u200b program to draft the closing\u200b argument,\u2063 ignoring the best \u200carguments and conflating the charged schemes, and he then publicly boasted that the AI program &#8216;turned hours or days\u200c of legal work into seconds,'&#8221; the legal team\u200d from\u200b D.C.-based ArentFox Schiff wrote. &#8220;It is now apparent that Kenner\u2064 and his co-counsel appear to have had an\u2064 undisclosed financial stake in the AI program, and\u200c they \u2064experimented with it during Michel&#8217;s trial so they could issue a press release afterward promoting the program \u2014 a clear conflict\u2062 of\u2064 interest.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Former federal prosecutor \u200cPeter Zeidenberg supported \u200bMichel&#8217;s claim, stating that his counsel was more focused on promoting the AI program than zealously defending him. Zeidenberg referred to a press release by \u200ba firm called \u200bEyeLevel, which quoted\u200d Kenner praising the AI\u200d tool as a\u200c &#8220;game changer\u200d for complex litigation&#8221; but conveniently \u2064omitted Michel&#8217;s conviction\u2064 on all ten \u200dfelony charges.<\/p>\n<p>The trial garnered attention with testimony from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/jan-6-committee-prepares-for-final-hearing-nobody-will-watch-before-midterms\/\" title=\"Jan 6 Committee Prepares for Final Hearing Nobody Will Watch  Before Midterms\">high-profile witnesses<\/a>, including Leonardo DiCaprio and\u2063 former Attorney General \u2064Jeff Sessions.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/onelink.to\/dwapp\">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Michel, known for his role \u2063in the\u2064 Fugees,\u200b was accused of being involved \u200din a wide-ranging conspiracy to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ex-fugees-rapper-pras-found-guilty-on-charges-involving-international-conspiracy-between-china-and-u-s-gov\/\" title=\"Ex-Fugees Rapper \u2018Pras\u2019 Found Guilty On Charges Involving International Conspiracy Between China And U.S. Gov\">influence top government officials<\/a>, including \u200bthose in the Obama and Trump administrations. Prosecutors alleged that he received $88 million from Malaysian financier Jho Low, who is separately charged with \u200bembezzling billions from a \u200bMalaysian sovereign wealth fund.<\/p>\n<p>During the \u200dObama administration, Michel and Low funneled millions of dollars into straw donors for President Obama&#8217;s re-election \u2064campaign. Michel claimed that he accepted the money from Low \u2064but did not intend to \u2063use it as foreign campaign contributions.<\/p>\n<p>Michel, who is\u200b currently out \u200bon\u200b bond, faces up to 20 years in prison. Meanwhile, he is set \u200cto\u2062 join the Fugees on a\u2064 North \u2062American reunion tour,\u2064 but it remains uncertain if he \u200bwill\u200d attend the full tour.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What concerns or risks are associated with the use of AI in crafting legal arguments, \u200cand how can it potentially undermine a defendant&#8217;s right to a fair trial?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Offenses \u200cwith irrelevant issues,&#8221; the \u2064motion stated. &#8220;As a result, Mr. Michel did not receive\u2064 a\u2062 fair trial and his\u2064 conviction should be overturned.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Kenner, who was Michel&#8217;s previous lawyer, allegedly used an AI program to generate the closing argument without thoroughly reviewing its content. The motion claims that\u200c the AI \u2063technology \u200cignored crucial arguments that could have bolstered\u2064 Michel&#8217;s defense and instead focused on unrelated issues. It further\u200c argues that this negligence demonstrated by Kenner deprived Michel of effective legal representation, violating his constitutional right to a \u2064fair trial.<\/p>\n<p>The use\u200c of \u200dartificial intelligence \u200din \u2063legal proceedings is a growing topic of \u200cdebate. Supporters argue that \u200dAI can enhance efficiency, accuracy, and \u2064fairness in legal \u2063processes, while skeptics\u200d express\u200c concerns about the potential biases and lack \u200cof\u2062 human judgment\u2063 in AI-generated materials.<\/p>\n<p>This <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/supreme-court-pauses-restrictions-on-biden-admin-contacting-social-media-companies\/\" title=\"Supreme Court halts limits on Biden Admin's communication with social media firms.\">case raises important questions<\/a> about the ethics and implications\u200c of AI technology in the legal system.\u2063 Can AI truly\u200c replace an\u200d attorney&#8217;s\u2063 ability \u200cto assess complex legal matters\u2062 and craft persuasive arguments?\u200b Should there be regulations and guidelines\u2063 in place to\u2062 ensure the responsible use of AI in legal proceedings?<\/p>\n<p>The implications of using AI in legal representation are significant. If AI technology is employed without careful consideration and\u200b oversight,\u200d it \u2062could potentially\u200b undermine a defendant&#8217;s right to a fair trial. As seen in Michel&#8217;s case, \u200can AI-generated closing argument \u200bmay omit\u2062 crucial arguments or emphasize irrelevant issues, leading to \u200cprejudice against the \u2063defendant and an\u2063 unfair outcome.<\/p>\n<p>However, it is \u200dimportant to note that the responsibility ultimately\u200c falls on the attorney to oversee\u200c and review any AI-generated materials. While AI can aid in the drafting process, it should not replace the critical analysis and judgment\u2064 of \u200ba qualified\u2063 attorney.\u200b Attorneys must exercise due \u200ddiligence in reviewing the output of AI programs to\u200b ensure that it aligns with the best\u2064 interests of their \u200bclients and upholds the principles of\u200c a fair trial.<\/p>\n<p>In\u2063 response \u200cto Michel&#8217;s motion, the prosecution \u200bargues that the use of AI in crafting\u200b the closing\u200c argument does \u2063not constitute \u2062&#8221;prejudicial ineffective\u200b assistance \u200cof counsel.&#8221; They contend that the AI program was merely a\u200c tool used\u2064 by Kenner,\u200b and any\u200c shortcomings in the argument could\u200c be attributed to the lawyer&#8217;s\u200b conduct rather than \u2063the technology itself.<\/p>\n<p>As this case unfolds, it will undoubtedly contribute to the \u200congoing discussion surrounding AI and its\u200c role in\u200b the legal \u200cfield. It highlights the \u200bneed \u200dfor\u2062 careful consideration and regulation to ensure that AI \u2064technology is used responsibly, and that defendants receive the legal representation \u2064they are entitled\u200d to.<\/p>\n<p>The\u2064 court will now\u2064 need to assess the validity of \u2064Michel&#8217;s claims \u2062and determine whether \u200ca new trial is warranted. This\u200d decision not only has implications \u200dfor Michel&#8217;s case but also\u200b for the wider legal community as \u200dit grapples \u2064with\u2064 the increasing influence of AI \u2062in\u200d the courtroom.<\/p>\n<p>As the debate continues,\u2063 it is important to strike a balance between harnessing the benefits of \u200cAI technology and protecting \u200dthe fundamental principles of justice. The use of AI in legal proceedings should be subject to oversight, guidelines, and training to ensure that it is employed ethically\u2063 and does not \u200bcompromise the\u2064 fairness\u2062 and integrity \u200dof the judicial system.<\/p>\n<p>Michel&#8217;s motion for a new trial serves as \u2063a reminder that while AI holds great promise in various industries, its application in the legal realm must be approached with caution. As technology continues to advance, it\u200b is crucial to adapt legal frameworks to address the challenges\u2064 and \u2064opportunities posed by AI,\u200b ultimately aiming to uphold justice and fairness in our legal system.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pras Michel, an ex-Fugees member, convicted for laundering millions to Obama&#8217;s campaign, seeks a new trial. He alleges his legal team employed AI to create their closing argument. Michel, 50, was convicted in April.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":429,"featured_media":2070968,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[541],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2070967","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-daily-wire"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2070967","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/429"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2070967"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2070967\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2070968"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2070967"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2070967"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2070967"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}