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HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. (BFMG) — Prosecutors revealed new evidence during a preliminary hearing for former NFL linebacker Darron Lee, alleging he used the artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT to seek advice hours before his girlfriend was found dead inside an Ooltewah home.
Body camera video released in court shows Lee telling deputies he did not know what happened to his girlfriend, identified as Gabriella Perpetua.
“She wasn’t saying anything and that’s when I called 911 immediately and I was like, what is going on,” Lee told deputies in the footage.
Prosecutors said Lee’s conversations with ChatGPT provide critical insight into his actions and state of mind leading up to Perpetua’s death. A detective read aloud messages allegedly sent by Lee, including one that said, “I wake up and she has two swollen eyes, I didn’t do anything, self-inflicted. She stabbed herself, split her eye,” and another that read, “She’s not waking up or responding, what do I do?”
Prosecutors also displayed a ChatGPT response that included the suggestion, “Here’s what to say without framing it as police trouble.”
District Attorney Coty Wamp told the court that Lee used the AI platform as a “legal advisor.”
“He has conversations — dozens of conversations — back and forth with ChatGPT over a two-day period about what he did to Gabriella Perpetua in detail,” Wamp said. “He asks how to cover it up. He asks what to say to 911.”
Prosecutors said these exchanges help establish a timeline of events before deputies arrived at the scene.
Dr. Rick Dierenfeldt, head of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s Criminal Justice Department, said the use of artificial intelligence in criminal cases is a growing trend.
“The use of AI in criminal activity is something we’re increasingly dealing with in the courts,” Dierenfeldt said.
He referenced a recent federal ruling where a judge determined that conversations with public AI platforms are not protected by attorney-client privilege.
“That’s not privileged information — it’s a third-party platform — so you’ve, in effect, waived your confidentiality,” Dierenfeldt said, adding that user agreements often make AI entries public.
Dierenfeldt said he expects AI-related evidence to appear more frequently in criminal trials as AI becomes more common in daily life.
Investigators Describe Evidence Found at Scene
According to an affidavit, Hamilton County deputies were called to a home on Snow Cone Way around 1:34 p.m. on Feb. 5, where they discovered Perpetua’s body with signs of severe trauma.
Lee, a former Ohio State standout and first-round pick for the New York Jets, told deputies he found her unconscious on the couch and believed she had fallen in the shower.
Investigators said there were no signs of forced entry but found broken glass, blood evidence throughout the house, and cleaning supplies in unusual places. Deputies noted that the amount and location of blood did not match Lee’s explanation.
Lee reportedly had injuries consistent with a struggle, including marks on his face, hands, and chest. Blood was also found inside his phone case, and investigators seized his phone and clothing as evidence.
The affidavit states that Perpetua suffered multiple injuries, including a suspected stab wound, severe head trauma, bruising across her body, and a possible human bite mark on her shoulder.
Forensic testing indicated several areas of the home had been cleaned in an apparent attempt to remove evidence. Alcohol, narcotics, and a firearm were also found inside the residence.
Lee was charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence. He remains in custody at the Hamilton County Jail.
Court records show Lee was previously arrested in Ohio in 2023 for assault and domestic violence after allegedly striking a woman multiple times.
This is a developing story.
Where is this suspects age? What is the timeframe of his nfl career? Pathetic “journalism”.