OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Following a jury’s decision in a Delaware courtroom to find the president’s son guilty, Special Counsel David Weiss of the Department of Justice addressed the public on Tuesday. Weiss was tasked with prosecuting Hunter Biden for firearms charges.
Federal authorities charged Hunter Biden, the first son, with making illegal gun sales and lying on a background check form. The case was tried in Vermont, and a jury found him guilty.
“The conviction marks the first time a president’s immediate family member has been found guilty of a crime during their father’s term in office, though his crimes predate Joe Biden’s tenure as president,” CNN reported.
“Hunter Biden could face up to 25 years in prison and a fine of up to $750,000 at sentencing, though he likely will receive far less than the maximum as a first-time offender. Court has adjourned for the day after the jury found Hunter Biden guilty on all three counts. The jury deliberated for just under three hours. First lady Jill Biden arrived at the courthouse shortly after the verdict was read,” the outlet added.
“Everyone must be accountable for their actions, even this defendant. But Hunter Biden should be no more accountable than any other citizen,” Weiss stated. “This case was about illegal choices the defendant made while in the throws of addiction.”
WATCH:
“This case was about illegal choices the defendant made while in the throws of addiction.”
MOMENTS AGO: Special Counsel David Weiss speaks on Hunter Biden’s guilty verdict. pic.twitter.com/vLz6sWEJNw
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) June 11, 2024
As noted by the New York Post, here are the charges the Biden scion was found guilty of:
Count 1 — making a false statement in purchase of firearm
Count 2 — making a false statement related to information required to be kept by federal firearms licensed dealer
Count 3 — possession of a firearm by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to controlled substance
It’s unclear what sentence Judge Noreika will hand down, but here’s the maximum terms Hunter could face:
Count 1 — he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years
Count 2 — he faces a maximum sentence of 5 years
Count 3 — he faces a maximum sentences of 10 years
President Joe Biden released a statement in support of his son, Hunter Biden, after he was convicted Tuesday of lying on gun-purchasing paperwork and unlawfully possessing a gun.
“As I said last week, 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,” the president said. “So many families who have had loved ones battle addiction understand the feeling of pride seeing someone you love come out the other side and be so strong and resilient in recovery.
“As I also said last week, I will accept the outcome of this case and will continue to respect the judicial process as Hunter considers an appeal. Jill and I will always be there for Hunter and the rest of our family with our love and support. Nothing will ever change that.”
BREAKING: President Biden’s son Hunter found guilty on all counts on gun charges. pic.twitter.com/OBwLoaJPsB
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) June 11, 2024
BREAKING: Hunter Biden found guilty on all counts pic.twitter.com/RxcyvBKiDn
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) June 11, 2024
Former District Attorney Phil Holloway appeared on Fox News last week and said that the defense strategy was to win sympathy for their client.
“I think if the jury is paying attention to the presentation that the prosecutors are putting on, the presentation that’s occurring in the front of the courtroom, these witnesses did a lot of damage to Hunter Biden,” he said. “[I]t’s obvious that at the relevant time when he bought that gun, he was both addicted to drugs and he was also an unlawful user of drugs, particularly, I think, crack cocaine being the big one.”
“But here’s the thing, Harris. There’s another presentation that’s taking place in that courtroom, and it’s for the benefit of the jury. The presence of the First Lady, the presence of the rest of the Biden family, all that stuff is there for the jury to see. The defense has orchestrated it for the benefit of the jury,” he said. “They’re trying to evoke sympathy. This is in the Biden’s backyard. There’s bound to be people on that jury who have great affection for at least some of the Bidens.”
“So this is an effort to get jury nullification, which is, of course, when the jury says okay, maybe he’s guilty, the evidence is there, but we’re gonna give him a pass anyway, that’s they have the power to do it,” he said. “The lawyers cannot directly ask for it, but they’re doing it in the way that you see playing out in the courtroom.”
The evidence from the prosecution was strong but Hunter’s daughter Naomi provided some contradictory testimony for the defense.
She said that when she and her fiancé visited her father in a Los Angeles rehab in 2018, he was “the clearest he had ever been since my uncle [Beau Biden] died.”
