Trial starts for Hunter Biden, son of US President, over gun ownership allegations
Hunter Biden, aged 54, is being charged for owning a revolver in 2018, which was against the law given he was a user of illegal drugs at the time. According to the indictment, he also lied on a form to get the weapon, saying he didn't use illegal substances or was dependent on them.
In court, Hunter Biden maintained his innocence and claimed not guilty for all three charges. His family members joined him on the first day of the trial, with First Lady Jill Biden, who celebrated her 73rd birthday on that day, being among them. However, President Biden was not present at the court hearing.
In a written statement, Joe Biden shared his support for his son, "As a father, I have unlimited love for my son, trust in him, and respect for his fortitude." As President, he's unable to comment on an ongoing federal case, but in his role as a dad, Biden expressed, "As a father, I have unlimited love for my son, trust in him, and respect for his strength."
It's likely the President is worried about how his son's legal battles could affect his chances of being re-elected in November. Another trial against Hunter Biden is due in September in California, where he's accused of tax evasion.
The trial in Wilmington is estimated to last a week to two weeks and Hunter Biden might face a potential sentence of 25 years in prison for his past gun possession. Although this would be his first criminal conviction, the sentence is expected to be milder in similar cases, where there's no prison sentence involved.
The trial against Hunter Biden started just four days after the landmark guilty verdict against former President Donald Trump for document fraud in New York. Trump is the first ex-President to be convicted of a crime in America's history. The jury found him guilty of hiding a hush money payment to ex-porn star Stormy Daniels through misleading business records and thus Illegally influencing the 2016 Presidential election. Trump's lawyers are planning to appeal against the conviction.
