Jury selection starts Monday for the gun trial of Hunter Biden, the first-ever prosecution of a sitting president’s child, as President Joe Biden ramps up his reelection campaign.
This trial follows another historic case where Donald Trump, a former president and current White House contender, was convicted of a crime. Republicans hope to shift attention from Trump’s legal issues by focusing on Hunter Biden.
Hunter Biden, 54, faces three felony charges related to his purchase of a .38-caliber Colt Cobra revolver in 2018. At the time, he has admitted he was heavily addicted to drugs. The Yale-educated lawyer and artist has faced numerous legal and personal challenges linked to his battles with addiction, impacting his father’s political career.
The trial, taking place in Wilmington, Delaware, will address charges that Hunter Biden made false statements on gun purchase paperwork and illegally possessed the firearm for 11 days in October 2018. He denies the charges.
Initially, Hunter Biden nearly avoided prosecution through a plea deal, which fell apart last July. If convicted, he could face up to 25 years in prison, though such penalties are rare for these offenses without accompanying charges.
Jurors will hear about Hunter Biden’s drug use during the events surrounding his gun purchase. His defense team argues for narrow definitions of “addict” and “user,” suggesting acquittal if the jury finds he didn’t see himself as fitting those terms. His lawyer, Abbe Lowell, argues that Biden, having just completed rehab and living with a sober companion, might not have viewed himself as an addict or user.
Among those expected to testify is Hallie Biden, the widow of Hunter’s brother Beau Biden, who was his partner during the firearm incident.
The trial coincides with a Republican-led impeachment inquiry into alleged Biden family corruption, although no evidence has been presented. Despite accusations of Hunter’s corrupt business practices in China and Ukraine, he faces no related charges.
President Biden has expressed support for his son, praising his recovery efforts. Democratic congressman Adam Schiff emphasized on CNN that Americans should respect the jury’s decision, regardless of the outcome, noting the personal pain for the president seeing his son on trial.
Prosecutors plan to present their case over three days, with the trial expected to last about two weeks. Meanwhile, Hunter Biden also faces upcoming tax evasion charges in California.
Last week, Trump was convicted in Manhattan of 34 counts of falsifying business records related to hush money payments to an adult film star.
