“Artificial Intelligence Generated” Defense Lawyer Described Prosecution’s Evidence in Capitol Building Arson Case

Monrovia, Liberia: As the Stipendiary Magistrate of the Monrovia City Court, stationed at the Temple of Justice is poised to hand-down final verdict in the much publicized Capitol Building arson case, lead defense lawyer has termed the prosecution most vital evidence as “artificial intelligence generated, urging the judge to not use the evidence as basis for his verdict.    

Stipendiary Magistrate L. Ben Barco, on Thursday, February 6, 2025 listened to closing arguments from both the prosecution and defense team in the alleged arson trial involving defendants Eric Sesay and Thomas Etheridge, and is poised to hand down his final verdict on Wednesday, February 12, 2025.

During the heated court debate, defense lawyers headed by Cllr. Jonathan Massaquoi petitioned the court to quash the evidence of a purported phone conversation between defendants Sesay and Etheridge conspiring to set the Capitol Building, the official workplace of the 55^th Legislature on fire.

The defense lawyer further prayed the indulgence of the Stipendiary Magistrate to turnover co-defendant Etheridge's cell phone on grounds that it was obtained unlawfully.

Cllr. Massaquoi also contended to prosecution’s argument that the voices heard in the audio were that of the defendants, while alleging that the audio recording which prosecution paraded in court as key evidence linking the defendants to the crimes is an Artificial Intelligence generated material.

According to the defense team, agents from the National Security Agency had illegally confiscated defendant Etheridge’s cell phone during the investigation and planted the AI-generated much-publicized audio to frame the defendants in the fire incident at the Capitol Building.

 Cllr. Jonathan Massaquoi indicated that without forensic evidence, the defendants cannot be convicted of the charges solely on the strength of a fake audio recording.

 As reliance for his argument, Cllr. Massaquoi cited Chapter 12 Section 11.10 of the criminal procedure law, which provides grounds for unlawful search and seizure.

 Cllr. Massaquoi said: “There was no forensic analysis conducted on the chloride bottle to determine the fingerprints of the alleged defendants on what part each of them plays in the commission or burning of the bottle as charged.”

 But in fierce counter-contention to the defense’s argument, the prosecution revealed that evidence presented before the court including the audio recording established beyond all reasonable doubt that the defendants were the actual perpetrators of the December 18, 2024 arson attack on the Capitol Building.

 Prosecution led lawyer, Cllr. Richard Scoot stated that there are preponderance of evidences before the court that tied the two defendants to the commission of the crime.

 Counselor Richard Scott of the prosecution outlined evidence of criminal conspiracy, attempted murder, and other crimes committed by Etheridge, Sasay, and others at large.

 Responding to the defense’s request to quash the evidence, the prosecution noted that the defense failed to object to the evidence during the trial until the final argument.

 It can be recalled that on Monday, January 13, 2025, Thomas Isaac Etheridge and Eric Sesay, both men, aged 39 were forwarded to court on charges of criminal conspiracy and arson to reckless endangerment and attempted murder in the Capitol Building fire incident.