Hunter Biden Convicted On Illegal Firearm Charges
Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, was convicted on three felony charges linked to buying a gun in 2018. Prosecutors proved that Biden lied on a mandatory form for gun purchase, claiming he wasn’t using or addicted to drugs. A jury in Wilmington, Delaware, found Biden guilty of lying to a federal gun dealer, making false statements on his application, and unlawfully possessing a firearm for 11 days.
Reactions To The Verdict
Biden, showing little emotion during the verdict, embraced his attorneys post-trial. Biden’s wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, was also present at the announcement. Interestingly, the first lady, Jill Biden, arrived at the courthouse moments after the jury had made their decision. Departing together, Hunter and Jill Biden were seen holding hands. No comments were made to the press.
Sentencing and Future Troubles
With possible imprisonment for up to 25 years, Biden now awaits sentencing by Judge Maryellen Noreika. It remains uncertain whether the judge will rule jail time. No date for the sentencing has been fixed yet. Biden’s legal woes don’t stop here. Come September, he will face another trial in California for evading payment of $1.4 million in taxes. Congressional Republicans have hinted at continuing an impeachment process against him.
The Hunter-Trump Convictions
Hunter’s conviction comes in a year fraught with court trials taking center stage more than political campaigns. Interestingly, Hunter, along with the likely Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, is a convict in this election year. While Trump echoed the cry of a “rigged” trial, President Joe Biden has expressed acceptance of the trial’s outcome, ruling out pardoning his son.
President Biden’s Concern
Despite the pressure, President Biden has taken a cautious approach by avoiding discussions about the case. Allies worry about the impact of Hunter’s trial and conviction on the 81-year-old President, who has always been concerned about his son’s health and sobriety. Nonetheless, the President has neither been accused nor charged regarding his son’s case.
The Drug Case In Court
The prosecution made a compelling case during the trial, emphasizing the severity of Hunter Biden’s drug problem. Using personal testimony and damaging evidence, prosecutors sought to paint a true picture of Biden’s addiction. Jurors were exposed to grim images of Biden in poor states due to his drug use. They then used these as evidence that Biden was under the influence of drugs when he purchased the firearm.
The Defense’s Position
Representing Hunter, Defense attorney Abbe Lowell argued that there was a difference between Biden’s state of mind when he bought the gun and when he later wrote a memoir admitting his addiction. Lowell suggested that while Biden may have had a drinking problem at the time of purchase, he didn’t consider himself a drug addict. Since alcohol abuse doesn’t disqualify one from purchasing guns, this argument raised questions about the validity of the prosecution’s claims.
Fallout Of Hunter’s Previous Arrangement
In the past, Hunter had tried to prevent the trial from going ahead, especially close to the 2024 election. A deal with prosecutors—which would have seen Hunter pleading guilty to misdemeanor tax offenses—was proposed, potentially safeguarding him from the gun case. However, this deal fell apart due, in part, to Judge Noreika’s questioning of certain unusual aspects of the agreement. Hunter now faces the trials and potential consequences that he had hoped to avoid.
The Role of Hallie Biden
The saga surrounding the firearm was further complicated when Hallie Biden, Beau Biden’s widow, who once had a romantic relationship with Hunter, found the unloaded weapon in Hunter’s truck. After throwing the gun in the trash at a local market, a man innocently retrieved it. Hunter’s lack of cooperation resulted in the investigation eventually being closed, despite him being listed as the victim. However, the circumstances surrounding the firearm in question eventually led to the trial, the verdict of which now sees Hunter facing significant legal issues.