What are the allegations against Pras Michel? Rapper loses bid for new trial after Diddy song lyrics were attributed to closing argument

According to CNN, rapper Pras Michel is accused of acting as an unregistered agent of Malaysian billionaire Jho Low who is working in the US. As per the prosecutors' contention, Jho Low paid Michel to secure access to Trump and Obama's administrations, and he attempted to use those connections on Jho Low and China's behalf.

Michel's alleged act of taking money from Jho Low was defended by his attorney David Kenner by arguing that making money is not a crime. Additionally, Kenner argued that there was no evidence of the rapper willfully violating any laws by taking the money.

The rapper faced allegations of being involved in three different schemes pertaining to witness tampering, conduit contributions, and illegal foreign lobbying.

As per the publication, the rapper was facing 10 charges, including failure to register as an agent of China. He was convicted for the same despite denying all the accusations and pleading not guilty.

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Pras Michel's attorney allegedly used AI to analyze evidence

In April 2023, Pras Michel was convicted by a jury on 10 counts. However, the rapper filed a motion seeking a new trial wherein he cited multiple errors, diminishing the jury's verdict and citing the use of AI in the closing arguments. Additionally, the rapper also mentioned that evidentiary rulings in his case were made in the presence of the jury without curative instructions.

He claimed this was one of the reasons the jury's decision was prejudiced against him.

On August 30, 2024, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly rejected Pras' request wherein the use of a generative AI program was also found during the closing arguments.

While errors like using AI and lyrics from Diddy's I'll Be Missing You didn't amount to the court making a biased decision, the rapper is currently facing up to 20 years in prison on the topmost charges.

Pras Michel's attorney David Kenner used an AI program to analyze the large volume of evidence that was a part of the rapper's trial and to draft a narrative to be used by the defense.

While Kenner changed some of the phrases of the AI's output, the one mistake he did not catch during the trial was the use of Diddy's song which he admitted to during the evidentiary hearing.

During the closing argument, Kenner stated:

"Every single day, every time I pray, I will be missing you." These words though originally written in a different context, speak to the profound impact this trial has had on Mr. Michel's life. The weight of the decision as to how he moves forward in life lies within your sound common sense and judgment, which I know that you will bring to these deliberations."

According to Reason, the content generated by the AI program as a part of the closing arguments of Pras' case did not comprise evidence regarding the case and included "sympathetic statements" along with a lyrical quote.

Moreover, the court stated that Michel did not demonstrate ineffective assistance of counsel on the basis of his closing argument and use of AI.

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In its recent ruling, the court determined that none of the potential mistakes that Pras Michel claimed in the ruling affected the rapper's substantial rights, keeping in mind the context and instructions offered to the jury.

Neither Michel nor his representatives have commented on the court rejecting his request for a new trial.