US Markets
Tuesday, June 11th, 2024 6:23 pm EDT
Key Points
- Hunter Biden Conviction: Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, was convicted on three felony gun charges, including making false statements in connection with the purchase of a firearm and possessing a firearm as a drug user.
- Trial Details and Reactions: The trial involved testimonies from Biden’s ex-wife and former romantic partners, concluding with a guilty verdict after brief jury deliberation. Hunter Biden expressed gratitude for support, while his lawyer vowed to continue legal challenges.
- Context and Political Implications: This case marks the first criminal trial of a sitting U.S. president’s child, coinciding with other high-profile legal cases, including those against former President Donald Trump. Hunter Biden also faces pending federal tax charges in Los Angeles.
On Tuesday morning, a jury in Delaware federal court convicted Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, on all three counts at his criminal gun trial. Hunter Biden, 54, was found guilty of making a false statement in connection with the sale of a firearm, a false statement in a firearms transaction, and possessing a firearm while being a drug user or addict. These charges stem from his purchase of a Colt Cobra handgun in October 2018, during a period when he was a known user and addict of crack cocaine. Despite his acknowledgment of being a cocaine and alcohol addict, he was accused of lying on a federally mandated form where he claimed he was not an unlawful user or addict of narcotics. This makes him the first child of a sitting U.S. president to be tried and convicted in a criminal case. Hunter Biden is also facing another criminal case in Los Angeles on federal tax charges.
The guilty verdict came nearly three weeks after former President Donald Trump was convicted in a New York state court for falsifying business records related to a 2016 hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels. Hunter Biden remained composed as the jury delivered the three guilty verdicts after about three hours of deliberation, eight days into the trial. Following the verdict, his family, including First Lady Jill Biden, his wife Melissa Cohen Biden, and his aunt Valerie Biden Owens, were present in the courtroom. The trial included testimonies from his ex-wife Kathleen Buhle, Hallie Biden (widow of his brother Beau Biden), and another former romantic partner. Hallie Biden testified that she had smoked crack cocaine with Hunter and later disposed of the handgun he had purchased.
In a statement following the verdict, Hunter Biden expressed gratitude for the support from his family and community, emphasizing his ongoing recovery journey. Special counsel David Weiss, who prosecuted the case, highlighted that the trial was not just about addiction but about the illegal actions Hunter Biden took while addicted, such as lying on a government form and possessing a firearm. Weiss asserted that no one is above the law and that Hunter Biden should be held accountable like any other citizen.
Hunter Biden’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, expressed disappointment with the verdict but vowed to continue pursuing legal challenges. President Joe Biden, scheduled to speak on gun control later that day, stated he would not pardon his son if convicted and expressed his and Jill Biden’s continued support for Hunter.
Hunter Biden faces a maximum of 10 years in prison for two of the counts and a maximum of five years for the third count. Sentencing will be set at a later date by Judge Maryellen Noreika. Additionally, Hunter Biden is charged in Los Angeles federal court with failing to pay taxes on more than $1.4 million in income, with that trial scheduled for September, just two months before the presidential election where Joe Biden will face Donald Trump.
The Trump campaign has labeled Hunter Biden’s trial a distraction from alleged corruption within the Biden family. Trump himself faces multiple pending criminal cases, including those related to his attempts to overturn the 2020 election results and his handling of classified documents after leaving office.
For the full original article on CNBC, please click here: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/06/11/hunter-biden-trial-verdict-reached-in-gun-case.html
