US President's Son Convicted for Illegally Holding Firearms
For the first instance in the USA with the child of a present president, the twelve-member panel took two days and approximately three hours to reach their conclusion.
The 54-year-old child of the president now faces a potential prison sentence of up to 25 years. Since it's his initial conviction, the former lawyer, businessman, and lobbyist might anticipate a considerably lighter sentence. In many instances, no prison terms are given.
One of the accusations pertains to the possession of a revolver in 2018, which was unlawful for Hunter Biden since he was consuming illegal drugs at the time. In the other two charges, he was discovered guilty of falsifying his drug usage on the form for purchasing the firearm.
Politically, President Biden's son's legal issues pose dangers for his re-election campaign. First Lady Jill Biden was in attendance on several days of the trial, as opposed to the president.
Following the verdict, the White House declared that Joe Biden would return briefly to his hometown of Wilmington. Hunter Biden waited on the airbase landing strip as his father's plane arrived. The father and son embraced before leaving in a procession of vehicles.
In a statement, Joe Biden expressed his "love and support" for his son. "I'm the president, but I'm also a father," Biden said. "Jill and I love our son and are so proud of the man he is today," Biden added. He also pledged to accept the verdict and subsequent actions, according to the president. The son hasn't made a decision on an appeal yet.
Special Prosecutor David Weiss, who investigated the case, stated after the guilty verdict, "No one in this country is above the law. Everyone must be accountable for their actions, including this defendant." Weiss elaborated, "In this case, it wasn't just about addiction." "In this case, it was about the unlawful choices the defendant made while in the midst of his addiction." "His decision to lie on the form when obtaining a firearm, and his decision to possess that firearm."
Hunter Biden has overcome his drug addiction since 2019. In his autobiography, he openly discussed his former crack dependency and alcohol excesses. Hunter Biden is the son of Joe Biden and his first wife Neilia, who died in a vehicle collision in 1972. Hunter and his brother Beau were in the car, they survived with severe injuries, however, their little sister Naomi perished. Beau Biden expired in 2015 due to a brain tumor.
Hunter Biden has been under the watchful eye of the US justice system for years and is also a popular target for his father's political enemies. President Biden needs to be mindful that his son's trial verdict could be used by his predecessor and potential re-election rival Donald Trump to deflect attention from his own legal complications. Trump's campaign representative Karoline Leavitt claimed, "The process against Hunter Biden is 'nothing more than a distraction from the real crimes of the Biden family.'"
Trump was the first former US president to be found criminally guilty: A New York jury concluded that Trump falsified business documents to conceal a hush-money payment to the ex-porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. The sentencing for Trump is planned for July 11th.
Read also:
- President Biden's son, Hunter Biden, was convicted for illegally holding a firearm, marking a first in US history for a president's child.
- The US President, Joe Biden, expressed his love and support for his son, acknowledging that he is both a father and the US President.
- Hunter Biden, the son of Joe Biden, faces potential prison time for weapons possession and tax evasion, an accusation stemming from his drug use in 2018.
- David Weiss, the Special Prosecutor, emphasized that no one is above the law, and Hunter Biden must be held accountable for his unlawful actions.
- As the US President's son, Hunter Biden has been under scrutiny for years and has become a target for his father's political adversaries, including former President Donald Trump.
- Jill Biden, the First Lady, attended several trial days, while President Biden chose to return to his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, after the verdict.
- The former US President, Donald Trump, also faced criminal charges, being found guilty of tax evasion and falsifying business documents, a sentence for which is set for July 11th.
