Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, has declined to testify in his ongoing criminal gun trial, which began last week in Wilmington, Delaware. This decision marks a significant moment in the high-profile case, where Biden faces three felony charges related to his purchase of a firearm in 2018 while allegedly addicted to drugs.
Prosecutors allege that Hunter Biden lied on a federal background check form about his drug use to purchase a Colt Cobra .38-caliber revolver. Federal law prohibits drug users from owning firearms. The charges include making a false statement on a federal application and illegal possession of a firearm while being an unlawful user of drugs.
Russian news is going after the Hunter Biden pedo angle real hard on primetime. pic.twitter.com/Z53BmcRcW3
— Brandon Taylor Moore (@LetsGoBrando45) June 9, 2024
During the trial, U.S. Justice Department lawyer Derek Hines emphasized to the jury that "no one is above the law," detailing how Biden's actions were illegal due to his drug addiction at the time. Hines presented evidence, including text messages and excerpts from Hunter Biden's memoir "Beautiful Things," which document his struggles with addiction. One text, in particular, described him waiting for a drug dealer named Mookie behind a minor league baseball stadium in Wilmington.
Defense attorney Abbe Lowell countered the prosecution's narrative by arguing that Hunter Biden was not a drug addict at the time he purchased the firearm. Lowell claimed that Biden was using alcohol but had not resumed using drugs until later.
🚨#BREAKING: A jury's deliberations have just begun in Hunter Biden’s gun trial. If he was found guilty, the president’s son could face up to 25 years in prison. pic.twitter.com/I2OApBlTJt
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) June 10, 2024
He also argued that the federal form asked whether Biden was currently addicted, not whether he had used drugs in the past, suggesting that Biden had no intent to deceive when he filled out the form.
The trial has also seen testimony from several key witnesses. FBI agent Erika Jensen was the first to testify, discussing Biden's writings and texts about his drug use. Additionally, Hunter Biden's former wife, Kathleen Buhle, and his brother's widow, Hallie Biden, are expected to testify about his behavior and substance use during the period in question.
Hunter Biden has pleaded not guilty to all charges. If convicted, he could face up to 25 years in prison, although sentences for such offenses are typically shorter. The case, prosecuted by U.S. Special Counsel David Weiss, who was appointed during the Trump administration, is closely watched, especially given its timing amid former President Donald Trump's own legal battles.
The decision for Hunter Biden not to testify underscores the defense's strategy to rely on cross-examination of witnesses and presentation of evidence to challenge the prosecution's claims. The trial continues to unfold, with the potential to impact both legal and political landscapes.