For for the first time, the son of a sitting president was convicted of a crime in a criminal trial.
A federal jury in Delaware found Hunter Biden guilty on Tuesday for lying about his drug use when purchasing a gun in 2018. Prosecutors presented the jury with photos, statements and messages that showed Biden carried a .38-caliber Colt Cobra revolver for about 11 days, during a period in which he had acknowledged previously who was struggling with drug addiction.
The jury deliberated for about three hours over two days and found Biden guilty of three crimes, including making a false claim on a gun purchase form that he was not a drug user, lying to a federally licensed gun dealer and illegally possessing the weapon for 11 years. days.
First Lady Jill Biden arrived at the Wilmington courthouse to show her support for Hunter Biden shortly after the verdict was read Tuesday morning. His aunt Valerie Biden Owens and uncle James Biden were also in court Tuesday. During closing arguments on Monday, President Biden arranged his schedule so that he would stay at his home, about 5 miles from the federal courthouse, for most of the day before returning to the White House for a concert set to mark the eleventh month on the south lawn.
Biden is the first sitting president to have to deal with the country’s government while his son was being prosecuted by the Justice Department itself. The jury’s decision is not only a crushing blow to the President and his family, but it also throws an unpredictable wrench into a nail-biting presidential race. Hunter Biden’s conviction comes less than two weeks after a Manhattan jury found former President Donald Trump guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to cover up hush money paid to a porn star. Democrats have expressed hope that Trump’s new criminal status will undermine his appeal to swing voters. It is unclear whether the conviction of the current president’s son will change the shape of the dispute.
Biden has repeatedly said he would not interfere with the judicial process in his son’s case, promising to accept the jury’s verdict and ruling out using his authority to pardon Hunter. “I will accept the outcome of this case and will continue to respect the judicial process as Hunter considers an appeal,” President Biden said in a statement released after Tuesday’s guilty verdict.
In his statement, Biden spoke directly about Hunter Biden’s struggle with drug addiction, saying that “so many families who have had loved ones struggle with addiction understand the feeling of pride in seeing someone you love come out the other side and be so strong and resilient in recovery.” .” Biden said he and the first lady will “always be there” for Hunter and the rest of his family. “Jill and I love our son and are so proud of the man he is today,” Biden said.
Following the verdict, Hunter Biden said in a statement that he is “disappointed in the outcome” but “most grateful” for the love and support shown by his family and friends. He also referenced his efforts to recover from drug addiction. “Recovery is possible by the grace of God and I am blessed to experience this gift one day at a time,” he said.
Biden’s defense team argued in court that Biden purchased the gun during a period of sobriety as he wavered between drug use and rehab. The defense also argued that the federal form was too vague about what defined a drug user or how long before purchasing a gun a person could be expected not to have used illegal drugs.
But the jury believed Justice Department prosecutors presented enough evidence that Hunter Biden was a drug user at the time of the purchase to convict him.
In his closing argument, prosecutor Leo Wise told jurors that no one was above the law and that the jury should consider Hunter Biden’s pattern of drug use; evidence presented during the trial suggested he had used drugs in the weeks before purchasing the gun and in the days following.
The trial harshly highlighted Hunter Biden’s internal family turmoil, especially in the years following the death of his older brother, Beau Biden, from brain cancer in 2015. Hunter’s daughter, Naomi, as well as his brother’s widow , Hallie, were called to testify and expose the turbulent times Hunter Biden went through while battling drug addiction after his brother died.
Hallie Biden had a brief and combustible relationship with Hunter Biden after Beau’s death. She told the jury how she found an unloaded gun while searching Hunter’s truck in October 2018 and was worried that Hunter might use it on himself or that his children might find it. Then, she said, she took the gun and threw it in the trash can of a Wilmington supermarket. This set off a chain of events that resulted in Hunter Biden being charged with federal drug crimes.
Hallie testified that she did not see him use drugs during the days immediately surrounding the gun purchase. But prosecutors showed the jury a text message about drug use the day before he purchased the gun and another message sent the next day.
Hunter Biden also faces federal tax charges in Los Angeles for allegedly failing to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes on foreign corporate income. He has pleaded not guilty to these charges. This case is expected to go to trial in September.
The gun charges were filed after a years-long investigation by Justice Department Special Counsel David Weiss, the U.S. attorney for Delaware appointed by former President Donald Trump. Weiss initially began investigating Hunter Biden’s tax affairs in December 2020, weeks after Joe Biden won the 2020 election.
Weiss’ decision to take the gun case to trial surprised some legal circles because it is a crime that is rarely prosecuted. Hunter Biden had previously reached an agreement with the Department of Justice to plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax charges and avoid prosecution on the gun charge if he was willing to undergo probation, enter a diversion program, remain drug free for 24 months and agree never to possess a firearm again. But that deal fell apart in court in July 2023.
This story originally appeared on Time.com read the full story
