A jury found Hunter Biden guilty on Tuesday of federal gun charges, marking the first criminal prosecution of a sitting US president’s child. The 54-year-old son of President Joe Biden was convicted on all three counts against him, according to CNN and other US media outlets.
Hunter Biden was accused of lying about his illegal drug use when purchasing a handgun in 2018, a felony charge. The verdict comes as his father is seeking reelection and on the same day the president is scheduled to address gun violence.
This conviction follows less than two weeks after Donald Trump, the likely Republican presidential nominee, was convicted on business fraud charges. The jury deliberated for about three hours over two days before reaching a guilty verdict.
During the one-week trial in Wilmington, Delaware, Hunter Biden did not testify. First Lady Jill Biden attended several days of the trial, while President Biden did not but expressed pride in their son. “As the President, I don’t and won’t comment on pending federal cases, but as a Dad, I have boundless love for my son, confidence in him, and respect for his strength,” Biden said in an earlier statement.
Hunter Biden also faces tax evasion charges in California, complicating Democrats’ efforts to keep the election focus on Trump, the first former president ever convicted of a crime.
Hunter Biden’s legal issues have also reopened emotional wounds for the family from his time as a drug addict. His brother Beau died from cancer in 2015, and his sister Naomi died as an infant in a 1972 car crash that also killed their mother, Neilia, Joe Biden’s first wife.
The Yale-trained lawyer and lobbyist-turned-artist was charged with falsely stating he was not using drugs illegally when buying a .38 caliber revolver in 2018 and illegal possession of the firearm, which he had for 11 days in October that year. Hunter Biden, who has written about his addiction, claimed he did not consider himself an addict at the time of the purchase.
Facing up to 25 years in prison, though as a first-time offender jail time is unlikely, Hunter Biden has long been targeted by hard-right Republicans. Trump allies have investigated him in Congress on allegations of corruption and influence-peddling, but no charges have been brought. His business dealings in China and Ukraine have also fueled Republican attempts to impeach his father, which have not succeeded.
The White House has stated there would be no presidential pardon for Hunter Biden.
AFP
