MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) – A lawyer representing an alleged drug “kingpin” stood before a federal judge Wednesday and offered a mea culpa for the digital age: He submitted phony case citations generated by an artificial intelligence program.
Lawyer James Johnson’s error prompted defendant Glennie Antonio “Little Man” McGee to tell the judge he no longer has confidence in him as his attorney. U.S. District Judge Terry Moorer agreed to remove the Loxley-based lawyer from the case and appoint a new attorney. Given that, he said, he had no choice but to delay the trial until December or January and appoint a new lawyer to represent him.
“I made a terrible mistake, and I know I made a mistake,” Johnson told the judge.
Moorer said he took it upon himself to review other filings by Johnson and discovered additional discrepancies in another motion, which asked the judge to appoint a co-counsel to the case. He said he has not yet determined what the punishment should be…