criminal defense attorney accused of using AI bot to ghostwrite client lies, judge 'disgusted' by betrayal of justice
A Florida criminal defense attorney is facing disbarment after a judge accused him of using an artificial intelligence tool to fabricate legal arguments and coaching his client to commit perjury, sparking outrage among legal ethics watchdogs who call it a 'catastrophic breach of trust' that signals the moral decay of the profession. The attorney, identified as 47-year-old Mark Thorne, allegedly programmed the AI to generate false alibi narratives and then submitted them as sworn testimony, leading to a mistrial in a high-profile assault case. 'This isn't just a violation of rules; it's a dagger to the heart of our justice system,' said retired Judge Helen Marquez, who presided over the hearing. 'When a criminal defense attorney weaponizes technology to deceive the court, we are all losers in the game of truth.' Critics argue this incident is a dark omen for society, where even the pillars of legal integrity are crumbling under the weight of AI-driven shortcuts, and they warn it could embolden others to follow suit, turning courtrooms into arenas of algorithmic manipulation rather than human honesty.