Hunter Biden’s Gun Trial Faces Potential 2-Week Duration With Contentious Evidence Disputes

The judge overseeing Hunter Biden’s federal firearms charges trial agreed Friday to block prosecutors from telling jurors about some other unflattering episodes from his personal life, but left the door open to allowing them in if the president’s son testifies.

It’s uncertain whether the president’s son would testify during the trial, which could last up to two weeks during his father’s reelection campaign and likely involve disagreements over evidence.

President Joe Biden’s son is accused of lying about his drug use in October 2018 on a form to purchase a gun that he kept for about 11 days in Delaware. The trial is scheduled to commence on June 3.

Hunter Biden has admitted to struggling with crack cocaine addiction during that time, but his legal team argues that he did not break the law and that the case is politically motivated. He did not speak to reporters as he accompanied his lawyers to and from the Wilmington courthouse for a hearing on Friday.

Prosecutors scored a victory as U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika ruled that they do not need to prove that he specifically used drugs on the day of the gun purchase.

She granted a defense request to exclude other details about his past, such as a child support case in Arkansas and his discharge from the Navy following a positive drug test. However, she indicated that if he does testify, “there’s a number of issues that may become more contentious.” Prosecutors have stated that those episodes are unlikely to be relevant unless he takes the stand.

She also agreed to consider defense queries regarding the contents of a laptop that he allegedly dropped off at a Delaware repair shop.

Hunter Biden’s legal team seeks to question the authenticity of the laptop’s data during trial. Prosecutors argue that there is no evidence of tampering with the data and that a prolonged dispute would be a waste of time. The laptop has been a source of controversy for years after Republicans obtained and shared personal data from it.

Noreika stated that she will address objections to specific data pieces as the trial progresses.

Prosecutors also intend to present excerpts from his 2021 memoir “Beautiful Things,” in which he discusses his battle with alcoholism and drug abuse following the death of his older brother, Beau, from brain cancer at age 46.

Defense attorneys argued that prosecutors were selectively choosing evidence, and the judge permitted Biden’s attorneys to introduce broader selections.

His attorney Abbe Lowell also alleges that the gun purchase form was altered by employees after the sale. Prosecutors contend that only minor additions unrelated to the parts filled out by Hunter Biden were made.

Noreika did not immediately rule on whether the defense could present an altered version of the form at trial, which is set to begin with jury selection on June 3.

Hunter Biden is also facing federal tax charges in Los Angeles and is scheduled for trial in September. He is accused of failing to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes over four years while living a lavish lifestyle during a period when he admits to struggling with addiction. The outstanding taxes have since been paid.

Hunter Biden’s legal team has unsuccessfully sought dismissal in both cases, arguing, among other things, that he was indicted due to political pressure after a plea deal fell through in court and was publicly criticized by Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, as a “sweetheart deal.”

Trump, currently running to unseat the Democratic president, is facing his own legal troubles. He is involved in four criminal cases, including an ongoing hush money trial in New York.

The lengthy federal investigation into the president’s son appeared to be concluding with a plea agreement last year, but the deal collapsed after a judge raised concerns. Subsequently, Hunter Biden was indicted.

Under the proposed deal, he would have received two years of probation after pleading guilty to misdemeanor tax charges. He also would have avoided prosecution on the gun charge if he stayed out of legal trouble.