In a historic case, Hunter Biden’s criminal trial commenced on Monday in Delaware federal court. President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, is charged with three felony counts related to the purchase and possession of a firearm in 2018. This trial follows closely on the heels of Donald Trump’s recent conviction, marking a significant period of legal battles involving high-profile political figures.
Hunter Biden, 54, appeared at the courthouse to face charges of lying about his drug use when buying a Colt Cobra .38-caliber revolver and illegally possessing it for 11 days in October 2018. He has pleaded not guilty to these charges, which were brought by US Special Counsel David Weiss, a Trump appointee, last September. Weiss has been investigating Hunter Biden since 2019 and has also filed separate tax charges in California.
First Lady Jill Biden, Hunter’s wife Melissa Cohen Biden, and his half-sister Ashley Biden were present at the trial in Wilmington, overseen by US District Judge Maryellen Noreika.
“Jill and I love our son and we are so proud of the man he is today,” President Joe Biden said in a statement, emphasizing that many families deal with addiction.
The trial offers Republicans a chance to shift focus away from Trump’s legal issues. Trump, the first former US president to be convicted, faces 34 felony counts related to falsifying documents to conceal hush money payments. He is due for sentencing on July 11 and has pleaded not guilty to three other pending cases. Trump is also the Republican candidate challenging Joe Biden in the upcoming November election.
If convicted on all charges, Hunter Biden could face up to 25 years in prison, although sentences are typically shorter, as per the US Justice Department.
The trial began with Judge Noreika screening potential jurors about their ability to serve impartially, particularly regarding gun ownership and experiences with addiction and law enforcement.
The case will focus on Hunter Biden’s struggle with crack cocaine addiction, which he has openly discussed, including in his 2021 autobiography “Beautiful Things.” Prosecutors aim to prove he knowingly lied on a federal gun purchase form about his drug use.
Prosecution lawyers have indicated they might use evidence from Hunter Biden’s phone and iCloud account, including photos of him using crack and messages with drug dealers. They may also call his former wife, Kathleen Buhle, who has previously accused him of wasting money on drugs, alcohol, and prostitutes.
Hunter Biden’s defense may argue that he completed a drug rehabilitation program before purchasing the gun and believed his answer on the gun purchase form was truthful. However, a plea agreement that would have resolved these charges without prison time fell apart last year when Judge Noreika questioned its extent. Hunter Biden’s lawyers attribute the collapse to Republican pressure.
Judge Noreika recently ruled against allowing expert testimony that could suggest Biden did not consider himself an addict, which could have supported his defense that he did not knowingly lie on the background check form.
Meanwhile, Congressional Republicans have spent years unsuccessfully trying to link Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings, including his work with Ukrainian energy company Burisma, to his father’s political influence.
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