Lawyers for Hunter Biden clash with prosecutors regarding the meaning of 'addict' in legal proceedings.
Authorities intend to present evidence, like text messages, photographs, and segments from Hunter Biden's autobiography, to illustrate his alleged drug use at the moment they claim he obtained the firearm.
Hunter Biden is facing three allegations, including making false statements on a federal form and owning a firearm while under the influence of illegal substances. His trial is scheduled for June 3rd.
Hunter Biden's legal team submitted a response to the jury instructions proposed by prosecutors on Thursday, highlighting various concerns. They questioned whether, at the time of purchasing and owning the firearm, Hunter believed he was a drug user or addict.
"'User' or 'addict' aren't defined on the form, and they weren't clarified to him," his attorneys wrote. "Someone, like Hunter Biden, who recently completed a rehabilitation program and lived with a sober companion afterward, may genuinely believe they're not a present-tense user or addict."
The filing also delves into the Second Amendment's implications.
Hunter Biden's lawyers insist that the jury should be instructed that the statute at issue is violated only when a person is simultaneously drunk and brandishing their weapon in a way that frightens or endangers others.
"As there's no proof Hunter Biden never loaded his weapon, displayed it publicly, or threatened anyone with it, and he didn't possess it throughout the whole 11-day period from the purchase to disposal, the Special Counsel can't meet this condition," they wrote.
They also claim that the jury instructions proposed by prosecutors infringe on the Second Amendment and unlawfully broaden the scope of the gun-control law employed in this case.
His attorneys concluded, "A gun owner who abandons their firearms when they go to the bar for a drink or locks their gun in a box or safe while using drugs (or taking a medically prescribed Oxycontin) is acting responsibly. This is not strictly policy; it's a vital constitutional right under the Second Amendment."
Before the trial commences, Hunter Biden's attorneys had previously requested the dismissal of the charges against him, citing that the primary statute used against him infringes upon his Second Amendment rights. The judge overseeing the case denied this motion.
On Friday, both prosecutors and defense lawyers will convene with the presiding judge, Maryellen Noreika, for a final conference before the trial begins.
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Source: edition.cnn.com
