Hunter Biden found guilty of lying about drug use to buy gun; US President says 'will accept outcome'

Hunter Biden found guilty of lying about drug use to buy gun

President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden, was convicted on June 10 by a jury for lying about his drug use to illegally purchase a gun. This verdict makes Hunter Biden the first child of a sitting US president to be convicted of a crime, a development that may be used by Democrats to counter former President Donald Trump's claims of a politically weaponised justice system against him.

The conviction came from a 12-member jury in Wilmington, Delaware, which had to unanimously agree on each count. This trial followed the criminal conviction of Donald Trump on May 30, making Trump the first former U.S. president to be found guilty of a felony. Trump, who faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to cover up a sex scandal, accuses Democrats of using the justice system to block his attempt to regain the presidency in the upcoming November election.

According to an AP report, shortly after, President Biden stated he "will accept the outcome of his son Hunter's criminal case and 'respect the judicial process".

Democrats, in response, highlight the Hunter Biden case to argue that President Joe Biden is not using the justice system for political or personal gains. Last week, Joe Biden stated he would not pardon his son if convicted. The Hunter Biden case was prosecuted by U.S. Department of Justice Special Counsel David Weiss, a Trump appointee, who has also charged Hunter Biden with multiple tax offenses in California. Hunter Biden has pleaded not guilty to these charges, with a trial set for September 5 in Los Angeles.

During the Delaware trial, testimonies from Hunter Biden's ex-wife, former girlfriend, and sister-in-law depicted his severe addiction during the period he bought the gun in October 2018. Prosecutors presented text messages, photos, and bank records to demonstrate Biden’s drug use at the time and his deliberate deception on a government form. Hunter Biden's defense argued he was not using drugs when he purchased the gun and did not consider himself a drug user at the time.

Hunter Biden's daughter, Naomi Biden, testified in defense, suggesting her father appeared to be doing well around the time he bought the gun. Sentencing guidelines for the gun-related charges recommend 15 to 21 months, but legal experts note that defendants in similar cases often receive shorter sentences or avoid incarceration if they comply with pretrial release conditions.