Hunter Biden, son of the US president, pleaded not guilty this Tuesday to the charges against him for purchasing a gun in 2018, when he lied denying drug use, although he later admitted struggling with addiction.
This was Hunter Biden’s first appearance before a judge since he was charged on September 14 with three counts of illegally purchasing and possessing weapons, which carry a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.
The penalty, however, is usually lower for those who, as in this case, do not have a criminal record.
The appearance of President Joe Biden’s son, which lasted about half an hour, took place in a federal court in the center of the city of Wilmington, in the state of Delaware, and he woke up surrounded by journalists, spotlights and television cameras, as well as A strong security safety device.
A brief hearing was held inside the court building, where Judge Christopher Burke made sure Hunter Biden understood his rights and the crimes he is accused of. The magistrate later allowed Hunter Biden to enter a plea of guilty or not guilty.
The judge also read Hunter Biden the conditions under which he will be granted probation while the trial takes place, which include remaining under the supervision of a law enforcement officer, actively seeking employment, not having weapons in his possession or using drugs. or alcohol.
Hunter Biden’s legal team requested his appearance via videoconference, in order to save the US Government travel expenses.
President Biden’s son, always accompanied by Secret Service agents (a unit that protects American presidential leaders and their families), has to travel from his residence in the state of California to Delaware, on the opposite coast of the country.
However, the judge ruled that Hunter Biden should not receive “special treatment” and ordered him to appear in person.
Hunter Biden is accused of lying on a form he had to fill out when, in October 2018, he purchased a .38-caliber Colt Cobra revolver at a Wilmington store.
Specifically, he faces two charges of making false statements: the first for having indicated on a form that he was not addicted to drugs, and the second for having given that information to the store knowing it was false.
A third charge stems from him keeping that gun in his possession for 11 days, despite knowing he was addicted to drugs.
The accusation, however, does not mention the other crime for which he was also investigated: irregular tax declaration.
Hunter Biden, 53, publicly acknowledged that for decades he struggled with alcohol and drug addiction, which worsened after the death of his brother, Beau Biden, in 2015 from a brain tumor.
When he bought the gun in 2018, Hunter Biden was going through a depressive state, following his divorce from Kathleen Buhle, with whom he had three children.
At the same time, Hunter Biden was addicted to crack, a situation he recounted in his memoirs “Beautiful Things”, published in 2021.
The accusations against Hunter Biden arise from an investigation opened in 2018 during the administration of Donald Trump (2017-2021) and that the former president himself – now a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination – took advantage of to attack Joe Biden, whom he could face again in the 2024 Vote.
The five-year investigation led this year to an agreement between Hunter Biden’s defense and the prosecution team led by Trump-appointed prosecutor David Weiss, which could have put an end to the judicial drama.
However, that pact fell apart and now Hunter Biden faces a trial that will likely take place in the middle of his father’s campaign for next year’s presidential elections.
This litigation is taking place in parallel with another political fight that Joe Biden faces in Congress.
The Republican majority in the House of Representatives has opened an impeachment investigation against Biden, who is accused of having used his political influence to favor his son Hunter’s foreign businesses, something that is repeatedly denied by the White House.
Source: TSF
