Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, is slated to appear in court this Friday for a crucial hearing ahead of his impending trial on federal firearms charges in Delaware.
The charges stem from allegations that he lied about his drug use on a form to purchase a gun in 2018, which he possessed for about 11 days.
Acknowledging his struggle with crack cocaine addiction during the mentioned period, Hunter Biden’s defense team contends that he did not violate any laws and asserts that the case is politically motivated.
A central point of contention revolves around a laptop purportedly belonging to Biden, dropped off at a Delaware repair shop, which has been a subject of controversy for years.
While defense attorneys challenge the authenticity of data from the laptop, prosecutors maintain that the information remains uncompromised. They argue against a prolonged dispute over the laptop’s contents, asserting it would needlessly prolong the legal process.
Additionally, prosecutors intend to present excerpts from Hunter Biden’s memoir, “Beautiful Things,” which chronicles his battle with substance abuse following the death of his brother, Beau, in 2015. However, defense attorneys argue that the prosecution is selectively choosing evidence from the book and seek to introduce additional context.
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The presiding judge, US District Judge Maryellen Noreika, will oversee what is anticipated to be the final hearing before the trial, scheduled to commence with jury selection on June 3rd.
Hunter Biden is concurrently facing federal tax charges in Los Angeles, with a trial set for September, accusing him of evading taxes totaling at least $1.4 million over four years.
Despite the payment of back taxes, Hunter Biden’s legal team’s efforts to have both cases dismissed have been unsuccessful. They contend that political pressure led to his indictment after a plea agreement faltered in court and faced criticism from Republican figures, including former President Donald Trump.
Hunter Biden’s legal troubles coincide with Trump’s own legal battles, including an ongoing hush money trial in New York. The federal investigation into Hunter Biden initially appeared poised for resolution through a plea deal last year, which ultimately collapsed following judicial scrutiny.
Had the plea deal succeeded, Hunter Biden would have received two years of probation after pleading guilty to misdemeanor tax charges and avoided prosecution for the firearms offense, contingent on maintaining good conduct.
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