Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, is set to stand trial on June 3rd, facing charges of illegally possessing a handgun, as stated by a judge.
The prosecution alleges that Biden falsified information about his drug use on application forms when acquiring the weapon back in 2018. If convicted on the three federal counts, he could potentially face up to 25 years in prison.
During a court session, prosecutors indicated that their arguments would span about four days, while Biden’s legal team estimated their defense would take two days. However, Biden’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, expressed confidence that the case might be dismissed before trial, as reported by CBS News, the BBC’s US partner.
The charges against Biden, including gun violations and separate tax offenses, were filed by special counsel David Weiss after a plea deal fell through. The accusations revolve around Biden’s purchase of a revolver from a Delaware gun shop in October 2018, which he held onto for about 11 days.
Biden himself has acknowledged in a 2021 memoir that he was battling a serious addiction during that period. The trial is scheduled to take place in Delaware, the state his father represented in the Senate for more than three decades.
Two of the charges against Biden, each carrying a potential sentence of up to 10 years, stem from allegations that he lied about his drug use on the purchase form for the gun. A third count, related to possessing a firearm while being a drug user, carries a possible sentence of up to five years.
Another legal proceeding, concerning tax-related offenses, is slated to occur in California on June 20th.
Meanwhile, Republicans in Congress continue their investigations into Hunter Biden and the president’s brother, James Biden.
The judge announced the tentative trial date shortly after Biden’s attorneys revealed that he would decline to testify publicly before a House of Representatives committee.
