Joe Biden stands by his son as his gun trial commences | US News

June 3, 2024 TruthUSA

US President Joe Biden has expressed his “boundless love” for his son Hunter as jury selection in his federal gun case began on Monday.

Hunter Biden is facing three felonies in Delaware related to a firearm purchase in 2018 when he was allegedly struggling with crack cocaine addiction.

The charges include lying to a gun dealer, providing false information on the firearm application by denying drug use, and unlawfully possessing the gun for 11 days.

A previous plea deal that would have avoided a trial close to the 2024 election fell through.

Biden pleaded not guilty and claims he is targeted unfairly by the US justice system, with Republicans criticizing the scrapped deal as special treatment for the president’s son.

Joe Biden stated that as president, he would not comment on the trial, but as a father, he has “boundless love for my son, confidence in him, and respect for his strength”.

Proud father

The president added, “I am the president, but I am also a dad. Jill and I love our son, and we are so proud of the man he is today”.

First lady Jill Biden showed her support by sitting in the front row of the Delaware courtroom.

Hunter Biden’s trial follows Donald Trump, the likely Republican presidential nominee, being convicted of 34 felonies in New York City.

A jury found the former president guilty of a scheme to conceal a payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to protect his 2016 presidential campaign.

Potential jurors in Hunter Biden’s case underwent individual questioning to assess their ability to be impartial.

The questions posed to jurors varied from their knowledge of the case, opinions on gun ownership, and personal experiences with substance abuse, ownership of firearms, or addiction.

Additionally, Hunter Biden faces a separate tax trial in California in September for allegedly failing to pay $1.4m (£1.1m) in taxes.

Campaign distraction

Allies of Joe Biden are concerned that the trial could detract from the presidential election campaign.

Prosecutors aim to demonstrate that Hunter Biden was battling addiction during the gun purchase, leading to false statements on the forms.

They intend to present evidence from his memoir and possibly contents from a laptop left at a repair shop in Delaware, which was leaked in 2020 to harm the Biden family’s image.

Drug addiction

The charges against Hunter Biden date back to his struggles with crack cocaine addiction.

His struggles with addiction followed the loss of his brother, Beau Biden, to cancer in 2015.

Hunter Biden has pleaded not guilty in both cases, with his legal team suggesting they may argue he did not see himself as an addict at the time he completed the form. They also plan to challenge the credibility of the gun store owner.

If found guilty, he could face up to 25 years in prison, although first-time offenders rarely receive the maximum sentence, and the possibility of incarceration is uncertain.

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