Prakazrel “Pras” Michel, the former Fugees rapper convicted earlier this year on foreign lobbying charges, has taken a dramatic turn in his legal battle. He has sought a new trial in a Washington, D.C. federal court, alleging multiple issues that significantly prejudiced his original trial, including a shocking revelation that his former attorney used an experimental artificial intelligence program to draft closing arguments.
Michel, a Grammy-winning artist who skyrocketed to fame in the late 1990s, and his new legal team at ArentFox Schiff LLP, claim that his former defense attorney, David Kenner of the Kenner Law Firm, employed an “unprecedented” AI program, EyeLevel.AI, to craft closing arguments in a high-stakes trial. This legal battle revolved around allegations that Michel had illegally channeled foreign funds to influence American politics.
Michel contends that Kenner, who he alleges had a financial stake in EyeLevel.AI, not only used this “experimental program” during the trial but also celebrated its capabilities in a press release issued by the AI company after a jury found Michel guilty of multiple charges, including defrauding the U.S. and acting as an unregistered foreign agent.
