Hunter Biden’s criminal trial is set to begin with jury selection in Delaware, following gun charges brought against him by special counsel David Weiss. Hunter pleaded not guilty to charges including making false statements related to the purchase of a firearm and illegal possession of a firearm, which could carry a maximum of 25 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000. The trial is starting almost a year after a plea deal between prosecutors and Hunter Biden was questioned by the presiding judge and ultimately fell through.
The indictment against Hunter Biden alleges that he made false statements when purchasing a Colt Cobra revolver in 2018, stating that he was not addicted to any controlled substances when he knew that statement to be false. It also accuses him of possessing the gun while being addicted to narcotics. Additionally, there were reports of Hunter’s gun being thrown into a trash can, leading to further speculation and investigation into his actions. Hallie Biden, the widow of Joe Biden’s late son, Beau, may be called to testify during the trial.
Judge Maryellen Noreika ruled that prosecutors cannot use certain pieces of evidence in Hunter Biden’s trial, such as references to his Navy discharge and child support case, in an effort to ensure a fair and impartial trial. While specifics from Hunter Biden’s laptop, including his addiction struggles, can be used, the full contents of the laptop will not be introduced. The special counsel’s mention of Hunter Biden’s pending federal tax trial in California has also been barred from being raised during the gun trial in Delaware.
Hunter Biden’s federal tax trial, related to allegations of $1.4 million in unpaid taxes over several years, has been postponed to September to allow for more time for preparation. The tax trial was initially scheduled for June but was moved to September following a request from Hunter Biden’s legal team. The charges in this trial include felony and misdemeanor counts of tax fraud over a four-year period. The presiding judge in California heard arguments and ultimately agreed to postpone the trial to September.
