US President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden was on Tuesday (June 11) found guilty on all three charges in the illegal gun possession case. This case is the first criminal prosecution of a sitting president’s child.
On June 10, the 12-member jury heard closing arguments before delivering their verdict.
Hunter Biden, 54, was convicted of making a false statement during the sale of a firearm, making a false statement in a firearms transaction, and possessing a firearm as a drug user.
The charges stemmed from Hunter Biden’s 2018 purchase of a .38 caliber revolver, where he allegedly lied about his illegal drug use. He possessed the firearm for 11 days in October 2018.
In addition to the gun charges, Hunter Biden is also facing tax evasion charges in California.
After the verdict was read, US President Biden said that he would “respect the judicial process.”
Hunter Biden showed little reaction as he simply nodded while the verdict was announced.
First Lady Jill Biden, Hunter’s aunt Valerie Biden Owens, and his wife Melissa Cohen Biden were present in the courtroom.
Three hours of deliberations
The jury reached their decision after approximately three hours of deliberation, following closing arguments and instructions from Judge Maryellen Noreika.
His trial in Los Angeles for failing to pay taxes on over $1.4 million in income is set for September.
All of this comes ahead of the presidential elections where US President Biden will face Republican Donald Trump, who is already convicted of 34 felonies.
Testimonies
Prosecutors in the trial highlighted the seriousness of Hunter Biden’s drug addiction by presenting personal testimonies and incriminating evidence.
Jurors also listened to accounts from his ex-wife and a former girlfriend detailing his regular use of crack cocaine. They were shown images and videos illustrating his addiction.
Prosecutors also played excerpts from his 2021 memoir Beautiful Things, in which he discusses his battle with addiction. Notably, Hunter Biden did not take the stand during the trial.
(With inputs from agencies)
