Hunter Biden trial: President changes his schedule to be with his son after guilty verdict
After three hours of deliberations, the jury convicted the president’s son on all charges
Your support helps us to tell the story
My recent work focusing on Latino voters in Arizona has shown me how crucial independent journalism is in giving voice to underrepresented communities.
Your support is what allows us to tell these stories, bringing attention to the issues that are often overlooked. Without your contributions, these voices might not be heard.
Every dollar you give helps us continue to shine a light on these critical issues in the run up to the election and beyond
Eric Garcia
Washington Bureau Chief
President Joe Biden flew to Wilmington, Delaware, on Tuesday to be with his son Hunter Biden after a jury convicted him on three federal gun charges.
Hours after the verdict, the White House Press Office announced that the president’s schedule had changed and that he would head hometown. Later that afternoon, Biden landed in Delaware – greeting his son, daughter-in-law and grandson on the tarmac.
Hunter was charged with two counts of making false statements and one count of unlawfully possessing a firearm for obtaining a gun in October 2018 while he was addicted to crack cocaine.
The president has already said he will not pardon his son but issued a statement saying he and first lady Jill Biden love and support their son and are proud of his resilience in recovery.
Throughout Hunter’s federal gun charges trial, members of the Biden family flocked to the courthouse to show their support for the defendant.
On Tuesday evening, CNN aired a montage comparing and contrasting the very different reaction of Fox News hosts to the criminal convictions of Donald Trump and the younger Biden at their respective trials.
Defense ends closing arguments
The defense team has concluded their closing arguments.
Prosecution will have a chance for rebuttal closing arguments before the jury will deliberate.
Prosecutors rebuttal narrowing-in on Hunter Biden’s 'choices’
Prosecutors gave a rebuttal to the defense’s closing arguments, drawing the jury’s attention away from Hunter Biden’s addiction and toward his decision to buy a gun.
“Choices have consequences, and that’s why we’re here,” federal prosecutor Derek Hines said.
Hines reiterated that they would not be in the courtroom if the case was only about Biden using crack cocaine.
Jury begins deliberations
The jury of 12 Delaware residents is beginning deliberations in Hunter Biden’s federal gun charges trial.
It is unclear when they will reach a conclusion but the jury must vote unanimously in order to convict.
Jurors sent home for day
Jurors were dismissed around 4:30pm, meaning they will return to federal court on Tuesday for futher deliberations
A tale of two families: Trumps hide and Bidens unite in face of criminal trials
In a Biden vs Trump election year, the approach to criminal trials that have impacted both families couldn’t be more different.
Ariana Baio reports:
A tale of two families: Trumps hide and Bidens unite in face of criminal trials
In a Biden vs Trump election year, the approach to criminal trials that have impacted both families couldn’t be more different, writes Ariana Baio
Hunter Biden prosecutors says ‘ugly’ and ‘personal’ evidence was ‘absolutely necessary’ in closing arguments
The defense and the prosecution painted two starkly different pictures of Hunter Biden’s 2018 gun purchase during closing arguments on Monday.
Lawyers for Biden outlined a story of a recovering addict who genuinely believed he was on the mend when he checked a box saying that he wasn’t an active user of illicit drugs on a form to buy a firearm on 12 October 2018.
Meanwhile, the prosecution argued that Biden was well aware that he was an addict and an active drug user when he bought the 38 Colt Special at StarQuest Shooters and Survival Supply in Wilmington.
Biden is accused of knowingly buying a firearm while being addicted to crack cocaine, a violation of federal law.
The president’s son faces three counts: False statement in the purchase of a firearm, false statement in a record required to be kept, and being a drug user or drug addict in possession of a firearm.
Hunter Biden prosecutor says ‘ugly,’ ‘personal’ evidence was ‘absolutely necessary’
Defense described a recovering addict who believed he was on the mend when he checked a box saying that he wasn’t an active user of illicit drugs on gun form
What kind of sentencing is Hunter Biden facing?
Biden is facing three felony charges: two counts of making false statements while purchasing a firearm; and one count of unlawfully possessing a gun while addicting to, or using, illegal drugs.
The charges carry a maximum sentence of 25 years and fines of up to $750,000. However, there is no minimum sentence.
It is unlikely that Biden would receive a lengthy jail sentence if convicted, given that he is a first-time, nonviolent offender and cases similar to Biden’s have resulted in little jail time.
Instead, Judge Maryellen Noreika could choose to impose other penalties like fines or probation.
Everything Biden has said about his son Hunter’s gun trial
President Joe Biden has mostly stayed quiet about his son’s felony firearm trial, who is accused of lying on a background check form in 2018 and unlawfully obtaining a gun while addicted to drugs.
Early on, the White House refrained from commenting on Hunter’s legal matters, referring any questions to the Justice Department or his son’s legal team. However, recently, Biden himself has both voiced his support for his son while promising not to hold him to a different standard than the average citizen.
Kelly Rissman reports:
Everything Biden has said about his son Hunter’s gun trial
The president has mostly kept his son’s legal matters at an arm’s length – but has also stressed that he is ‘proud’ of Hunter
How Beau Biden’s death is tied to Hunter Biden’s trial
Beau’s death enormously impacted his family, including his younger brother Hunter who recalled in his 2021 memoir Beautiful Things that the grief became overwhelming.
Hunter said he struggled with drug and alcohol addiction after Beau died in 2015. During his federal gun charges trial, Hunter’s attorneys said his relapse stemmed from the grief he felt over the loss of his older brother.
In the wake of Beau’s death, Hunter dated his brother’s widow, Hallie, on and off. The two have spoken about their shared grief over the loss of Beau. They eventually ended their relationship in 2019 and Hunter entered a treatment program to get sober.
Interest in Hunter Biden’s memoir soars during trial
Hunter Biden’s 2021 memoir is experiencing a boost in sales thanks to its appearance in his federal gun charges trial this week.
On Monday, the first day of the trial in Wilmington, Delaware, Biden’s book Beautiful Things jumped from its 338,000 spot in Amazon rankings to 12,900, USA Today reported, citing data from Publisher’s Marketplace.
By Wednesday afternoon, the second day of trial testimony, the book jumped up to the 4,200 range.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.