Pras Michel sought a retrial in connection to his conspiracy case after noting that his former legal team used AI to offer a closing statement in the matter ahead of his 2023 conviction. A federal judge has since ruled that Pras Michel will not receive a retrial, despite findings that suggested errors were made.
As reported by The Haitian Times, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly decided on August 30 that Pras Michel’s request for a retrial would not move forward. In 2023, Michel was convicted on several charges and sought to have a new trial due to his former attorney, David Kenner, employing AI to write a closing statement but later discovering the mistakes the program made. One of those mistakes includes an incorrect attribution of Michel’s lyrics given to Sean “Diddy” Combs.
In the motion filed by Michel’s attorneys, the rapper’s legal team uncovered 14 errors that were made during Michel’s time and court thus the filing of the motion for retrial. The legal team additionally argued that the jury overseeing the matter was influenced by statements made by two federal judges that named Michel as a co-conspirator in the crimes he was charged with.
The judge in the case did note the errors raised by Michel’s team and three of them were considered according to accounts. However, the judge decided that the issues raised were not enough to overturn the jury’s initial ruling.
Pras Michel faces a potential sentence that could land him 20 years in prison. He is currently free on bond. A date for his sentencing has not been announced.
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