The sentencing hearing for Jaeden Tito, one of two men convicted of murdering Melbourne underworld figure Gavin Preston, took an unusual turn after Tito's mother revealed she had used Chat GPT to help write a character statement about her son.
Appearing before the Supreme Court of Victoria on Friday, Tito's mother, Levi Tito, described her son as a person who had always displayed a "kind and caring nature", despite his conviction for one of Victoria's most notorious recent gangland killings.
Tito, 25, and co-offender Rabii Zahabe, 26, were found guilty in May of murdering Preston in what prosecutors described as a contract killing carried out in broad daylight outside Sweet Lulu's Cafe in Keilor in September 2023. The pair were also convicted over the attempted murder of Preston's associate, AJ Maghnie, who survived after being shot in the abdomen.
During Friday's pre-sentence hearing, Crown prosecutor Kristie Churchill SC argued the crime belonged in the "worst category" of murder cases and warranted life imprisonment.
"The murder is extensively planned, sophisticated, it is an execution," the prosecutor told the court.
"The offending exposed many innocent members of the public to the trauma of the execution."
"Most significantly... this was murder for hire."
In contrast, Tito's mother took the witness stand to offer a personal perspective on her son's character. She told Justice Michael O'Connell that she had relied on Chat GPT to assist in preparing her statement.
"Never in my life could I imagine I would be writing a letter to a court about my son being convicted of murder and attempted murder," she said.
She described Tito as someone who had been:
"Always polite, considerate and willing to help those around him."
The court also heard that while in prison, Tito had been spending time reading books, writing birthday and Christmas cards, and taking up colouring activities to help manage stress.
According to his mother:
"He has also taken up colouring — something that helps him clear his mind and find some peace."
The comments came as Preston's fiancée sat quietly in the public gallery. Neither she nor other members of Preston's family provided victim impact statements during Friday's proceedings.
Defence lawyers argued that life sentences would be excessively harsh given the men's ages and the restrictive prison conditions they currently face. Tito's barrister suggested the court instead consider an extremely lengthy fixed-term sentence, potentially around 50 years.
Meanwhile, Zahabe's legal team maintained his innocence and submitted that a life sentence was not justified.
Preston, a well-known Melbourne underworld identity with a lengthy criminal history, was shot seven times while dining outside a cafe in Keilor on September 9, 2023. Despite extensive investigations, authorities have not publicly identified who allegedly ordered the hit. Police have confirmed inquiries into the broader conspiracy remain ongoing.
Justice O'Connell is expected to determine the men's sentences following the completion of the pre-sentence hearing process.
The case has attracted widespread public attention not only because of its links to Melbourne's criminal underworld, but also due to the unusual courtroom moment in which artificial intelligence was referenced during a mother's emotional plea for leniency.
