The 12 jurors of the Wilmington (Delaware) court, Hunter, is guilty of the three charges against him: two for lying in the documentation to acquire the weapona 38 caliber revolver, and one more for his illegal possession after purchase.
Despite the adverse ruling, the 54-year-old man left the court smiling, hand in hand with his stepmother, Jill Bidenand with his wife Melissa Cohen Biden. In a statement, he said he is “more grateful” than “disappointed” by the verdict.
What Joe Biden said after his son’s conviction
For his part, the American president supported his son and assured that “respect the judicial process”. “I am the president, but I am also a father,” she said in a statement issued by the White House.
“Jill and I love our son and are very proud of the man he is,” he said. Biden. “Many families in which one of their members struggles with addictions “You can understand the pride you feel when you see someone you love come out of it and be strong and resilient in their recovery,” the president added.
“I accept the outcome of this case and I will continue to respect the judicial process“he assured.
The court ruling against his son could complicate Joe Biden’s race for the presidency
The court ruling comes in a context of growing tension ahead of the November presidential elections, which are expected to be very close. On the opposite side, the probable Republican candidate, donald trumptwo weeks ago it was also declared guilty by Justice of 34 counts of falsification of business records.
The trial, along with another case in which Hunter faces tax evasion charges in California, complicates Democrats’ efforts to keep focus on Trumpthe first former president to be convicted of criminal offenses.
However, Hunter Biden was for a long time in the crosshairs of the Republicans, who promoted a exhaustive investigation within Congress accusing him of corruption and influence peddling, although no charges were ever filed against him for that.
His businesses in China and Ukraine also served as a basis for Republicans to try open impeachment proceedings to remove his fatherbut those efforts were unsuccessful.
How the case against Joe Biden’s son will advance
After the court’s decision, Hunter Biden could receive a sentence of up to 25 years in prisonalthough a lighter sentence is expected, even without jail, for not having a criminal record.
Special prosecutor David Weiss maintained that Biden’s son was found guilty “for his illegal decisions when he was an addict, for his decision to lie in an official statement to buy a gun and then because of his decision to keep it in his possession” and not because of his addictions to drugs and alcohol.
However, defense attorney Abbe Lowell clarified for jurors that Hunter Biden “he was no longer using drugs” when he acquired the gunwhich also “was never loaded, It was neither taken out nor used during the eleven days in which he had it in his possession.“, argument.
Source: Ambito
