Live Thread..Hunter Biden's Trial..Guilty Verdict Reached

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Jill Biden arrives to courthouse as defense set to decide on Hunter Biden testimony

First Lady Jill Biden arrived to the Delaware courthouse for day six of Hunter Biden's federal gun crime trial on Monday.

Jill joined President Biden's siblings, Valerie and James Biden, inside the courthouse. The defense is set to decide whether Hunter will testify on Monday. His testimony would likely take most of the day, according to his attorney, Abbe Lowell.

Prosecutors are working to prove that Biden lied on a federal firearm form, known as ATF Form 4473, in October 2018 when he ticked a box labeled "No" when asked if he is an unlawful user of a firearm or addicted to controlled substances. Hunter Biden purchased a Cobra Colt .38 from a store called StarQuest Shooters & Survival Supply in Wilmington.

Biden is facing charges of making a false statement in the purchase of a gun, making a false statement related to information required to be kept by a federally licensed gun dealer, and possession of a gun by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.

He pleaded not guilty in the case. It is the first time in U.S. history that a sitting president's child is on trial.

The total maximum prison time for the three charges could be up to 25 years. Each count also carries a maximum fine of $250,000 and three years of supervised release.
Posted by Anders Hagstrom

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9 min(s) ago
Pinned
Defense indicates Hunter Biden will not testify in federal gun trial

On Monday morning, one jury instruction, which has to do with defendant’s potential testimony, was struck from the list -- seeming to suggest that Hunter Biden won't testify in his own defense.

Defense attorney Abbe Lowell had indicated last week that Hunter may testify in the case, but he has yet to confirm to Judge Maryellen Noreika if the first son will not take the stand.

Hunter is joined in the courtroom by a cohort of family members, including First Lady Jill Biden; his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden; his half-sister Ashley Biden; friend Kevin Morris; his aunt Valerie Biden Owens and her husband, Jack. President Biden's brother, James Biden, is also in attendance.

Fox News' Jake Gibson and Anders Hagstrom contributed to this update .
Posted by Brianna Herlihy

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18 min(s) ago
The evidence against Hunter Biden is 'overwhelming': Gregg Jarrett

Fox News legal analyst Gregg Jarrett discusses the impact Hunter Biden's testimony could have if he is called to the witness stand in his federal gun trial.

"His problem is there is no defending the indefensible. The evidence overwhelming. He lied, he incriminated himself on the laptop, in his own book, witnesses confirmed the lie," Jarrett said.

Jarrett also discussed Hunter Biden's defense, which Jarrett argued was thin and may depend on a friendly jury in Delaware.

"It's Delaware, it's the Biden's personal theifdom, and it's a friendly jury," Jarrett said. "His main defense is really quite desperate. That he was so addicted that he was in denial about his addiction therefor didn't knowingly lie. But under the law being addled by drugs is not a defense, which means... his real defense is a combination of sympathy for a recovering addict and jury nullification, ignore the facts, disregard the law."
Posted by Michael Lee

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 min(s) ago
Hunter Biden’s alleged crime is ‘much more clear cut’ than Trump’s: Ben Domenech

Hunter Biden's alleged gun crime is "far more clear cut" compared to former President Donald Trump's trial, Fox contributor and editor at large of The Spectator, Ben Domenech, said Sunday on Media Buzz.

"It's a document that you have to sign under under penalty of perjury," Domenech said. "Everybody has to do this when they're buying a firearm, and in his case, Hunter obviously lied on that forum when he said that he was not addicted to any drugs when he said that he was able to purchase this weapon."

"The irony of this is actually the Joe Biden himself signed a law into effect that made the penalty for this type of crime higher than it was in the past historically," he added.

Domenech suggested that while Trump's private business records faced scrutiny, Hunter Biden's recent media attention has revealed "the degree to which this had gone off the rails as much as it had."

"I think there were a lot of people who were learning these things about Hunter Biden for the first time," he said. Nonetheless, Trump's charges "was a completely different standard."

Prosecutors are working to prove that Biden lied on a federal firearm form, known as ATF Form 4473, in October 2018 when he ticked a box labeled "No" when asked if he is an unlawful user of a firearm or addicted to controlled substances. Hunter Biden purchased a Cobra Colt .38 from a store called StarQuest Shooters & Survival Supply in Wilmington.

Fox News Digital's Emma Colton contribtued to this report.
Posted by Jamie Joseph

[mystery-ak]

4 min(s) ago
Here's everyone who has testified in the Hunter Biden gun crime trial

Monday marks the 6th day of the federal gun crime trial of the president's son, Hunter Biden. His defense team has yet to confirm whether Hunter will testify in his own defense, but has indicated that he will not -- meaning the trial could conclude in the next day or two with closing arguments.

Biden is accuse of lying on a federal firearm form, known as ATF Form 4473, in October 2018 when he ticked a box labeled "No" when asked if he is an unlawful user of a firearm or addicted to controlled substances.

Hunter faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison if he is convicted on all three counts against him.

Here is the list of everyone who has taken the witness stand so far:

Kathleen Buhle, Hunter Biden’s ex-wife

Naomi Biden, Hunter Biden's daughter

Zoe Kestan, Hunter Biden's former girlfriend

Delaware State Police Senior Cpl. Joshua Marley, who responded to the incident at Janssen's Market, the location where Hallie disposed of Hunter's gun

Retired Lt. Millard Greer, who offered testimony on how police discovered the gun at the center of the case

Gordon Cleveland, a gun store employee who sold Hunter Biden the firearm

Hallie Biden, the widow of Beau Biden and Hunter Biden's former girlfriend

Edward Thomas Banner, the man who recovered Hunter Biden's gun from a dumpster

FBI special agent Erika Jensen

Joshua Romig, a DEA special agent

Jason Turner, a gun store employee

Fox News' Aubrie Spady contributed to this update
Posted by Brianna Herlihy

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Confirmed..Hunter will not testify...which means the Defense has rested.

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45 seconds ago
Prosecutors call back FBI agent Erika Jensen

Prosecutors have called back FBI Erika Jensen for a rebuttal.

Jensen is an FBI agent who was assigned to Hunter Biden's case in the fall of 2023.

Jensen originally testified about the investigation, including reviewing bank statements and text messages allegedly sent by Biden in 2018.

During her testimony, Jensen confirmed the authenticity of Biden's laptop, with data from the device taking center stage in the case against the president's son.
Posted by Michael Lee

14 min(s) ago
Hunter Biden won't testify in his own defense in gun crime trial

Hunter Biden will not take the witness stand in his own defense in his federal gun crime trial. Defense attorney Abbe Lowell told the judge and jury Monday morning that, “Mr Biden rests his case.”

The prosecution has called FBI Special Agent Erika Jensen back to the stand.

Fox News' Jake Gibson contributed to this update.
Posted by Brianna Herlihy

Fox News contributor Andy McCarthy said on Fox News' America's Newsroom Monday it's "a good decision" that Hunter Biden won't testify in his criminal gun trial.

"I think looking at his potential sentencing guidelines, it looks to me like even if he gets convicted here he's got a good chance of avoiding a prison sentence," McCarthy said. "That calculation can change. If a defendant takes the stand and gives a version of events that the jury obviously rejects, especially if what we just heard is true that the government would come back with rebuttal witnesses, and the consequences of that under the sentencing guidelines would be to add additional points to computing his offense level as it's called in the guidelines, which would lead to closer toward a prison sentence."

"So, I think this is a smart move," he added.

Defense attorney Abbe Lowell had indicated last week that Hunter may testify in the case, but he has yet to confirm to Judge Maryellen Noreika if the first son will not take the stand.Hunter is joined in the courtroom by a cohort of family members, including First Lady Jill Biden; his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden; his half-sister Ashley Biden; friend Kevin Morris; his aunt Valerie Biden Owens and her husband, Jack. President Biden's brother, James Biden, is also in attendance.

Fox News' Brianna Herlihy contributed to this report.
Posted by Jamie Joseph

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What You Need To Know About Hunter Biden's Motion To Dismiss
Margot Cleveland


Hunter Biden’s legal team asked the federal judge presiding over his criminal gun trial to toss out the case in three motions filed on Friday. Those motions present legal arguments for the court to consider apart from the factual questions that could be put before the jury as early as Monday should Hunter Biden opt against taking the stand to testify in his own defense.

Here’s your lawsplainer on the three motions to dismiss.

Motion to Dismiss for Insufficient Evidence

The first motion the lawyers filed on behalf of Hunter Biden was the standard motion for acquittal that argued prosecutors failed to present sufficient evidence to convict the president’s son of the crimes charge. Defense lawyers routinely — and by default — make a motion for acquittal because otherwise, the defendant cannot challenge the sufficiency of the evidence on appeal.

A motion for acquittal tests whether the government has presented sufficient evidence to convict the defendant. As the Supreme Court has explained, “Sufficiency review essentially addresses whether ‘the government’s case was so lacking that it should not have even been submitted to the jury.’ … The reviewing court considers only the ‘legal’ question ‘whether, after viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt.’”

Given this standard, it is extremely rare for a court to grant a motion for acquittal, and there is little chance in Hunter Biden’s case that he will succeed in his motion.

more
https://thefederalist.com/2024/06/10/everything-you-need-to-know-about-hunter-bidens-motion-to-dismiss-criminal-gun-charges/

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Prosecution has now rested per Fox...

Closing arguments next?

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NYPost

What comes next?

After the prosecution calls its rebuttal witnesses, both sides will move to closing arguments.

The government lawyers took 30 minutes to make their opening statement Tuesday, while Lowell required 50.

Depending on when arguments wrap, the jury could get the case as soon as Monday afternoon and begin deliberating whether the president’s son broke the law.

[Cyber Liberty]

Prosecution has now rested per Fox...

Closing arguments next?

I don't know.  I think the Prosecution can re-call witnesses in Re-Direct?  I dunno...

[mystery-ak]

Will we be on Jury watch later today?

[Cyber Liberty]

Will we be on Jury watch later today?

Looks that way.  The Jury is probably too stoned to decide anything today.  Maybe a question to the Judge about where they can get good munchies?

[mystery-ak]

2 min(s) ago
Prosecution rests in Hunter Biden trial, closing arguments to being soon

After the prosecution rested its case, Judge Noreika told the jury she was going to read them some of the jury instructions.

She then told the jury after her partial jury instructions there will be a lunch break, and after lunch the court will move to closing arguments. Traditionally prosecution goes first, followed by defense followed by a final rebuttal from the prosecution if they choose to do so.

The jury will likely get the case this afternoon and begin deliberations either late today or first thing Tuesday morning.

Fox News' Jake Gibson contributed to this update.
Posted by Brianna Herlihy

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1 hour(s) ago
Pinned
Prosecution tees up alleged text message exchanges between Hunter and drug dealer

Hunter Biden defense attorney Abbe Lowell attempted to point to prior testimony about his client's location on October 15-16, 2018 in text message exchanges and that FBI Special Agent Erika Jensen didn't know exactly what he was doing at the 7-Elevens so early in the morning.

The prosecution in their line of questioning suggested that Hunter Biden was trying to reach out and find drug dealers as was a pattern in his messages before.

Moments after the prosecution had one additional question for her after Lowell finished and then said that they rest of their case, and no more rebuttal witnesses.

Justice Department prosecutor Derek Hines tried to establish that Hunter went to New York on Oct. 17-18, 2018, conflicting with Hunter's daughter Naomi Biden's testimony that he could have been in New York around Oct. 15.

Hines then pulled up Government Exhibit 125A, showing texts and location data from Hunter's messages and showed the timeline of texts/location data to the court:

    Text chain from 10/10/2018 shows Hunter arranging a meeting at 7-Eleven with someone (name of the person is unknown).
    Text chain from 10/11/2018 shows the same number texting Hunter that they are “at 7-Eleven.”
    Text from Hunter to Hallie on 10/13/2018 about “Bernard who hangs at 7-Eleven.”
    Geolocation data from 10/16/2018 put him near Hallie Biden's residence at 4 a.m.
    Location data shows Hunter in New York on 10/18/2018.
    Hines showed an email from Exhibit 19, pg 208 -- an excerpt from Hunter’s book -- about dealers not working on your time and arranging meetings at 7-Eleven.

Fox News' James Levinson and Brianna Herlihy contributed to this report.
Posted by Jamie Joseph

5 min(s) ago
Court resumes and closing arguments begin

Court has resumed and the jury has been seated and closing argument have begun.

The prosecution rested its case against Hunter Biden just after 11 A.M. Monday, while Biden never took the stand in his own defense.

Biden faces gun charges that arose from the 2018 purchase of a firearm, a purchase prosecutors allege was made while he as addicted to narcotics.

Biden faces a maximum of 25 years in prison if convicted on all three counts.
Posted by Michael Lee

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1 min(s) ago
Prosecutor tells jury that Biden family members supporting Hunter in court 'are not evidence'

Prosecutor Leo Wise, faced the jury with a PowerPoint behind him and began his closing arguments Monday afternoon.

He started, and referred directly to the Biden family members behind Hunter Biden, on his side of the gallery.

"People sitting in the gallery are not evidence," he said.Wise appeared to be referring to the Biden family in attendance during the trial, which included the First Lady.

He also reminded them of his colleague, Derek Hines' remarks in the opening statement, that nobody is above the law.

Closing arguments are ongoing.
Posted by Brianna Herlihy

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23 min(s) ago
Prosecutor Leo Wise said the evidence is 'personal,' 'ugly' and 'overwhelming'

Prosecutor Leo Wise said the evidence in Hunter Biden's federal gun trial is “personal,” “ugly” and “overwhelming," but added that it is "necessary."

Hunter's own nonfiction book, "Beautiful Things," was "key evidence that Hunter was using drugs," Wise said, adding that his closing statements would focus on the evidence showing Hunter was addicted to drugs and “that he knew it."

Wise then displayed the firearm form on the screen (Exhibit 10a), pointed to question 11e which was highlighted, and said “this is the statement the evidence proved is false." The form Wise was referring to showed Biden checked a box which asked whether he was an illegal drug user before purchasing a firearm.

Regarding witnesses, Wise said Gordan Cleveland is the “only relevant” witness from the gun shop StarQuest Shooters, since he was the only person to testify he saw Hunter fill out the form.

Wise slowly walked through the elements in each count, highlighting that counts 1 and 2 are related to how the defendant acquired a gun by making a false statement, while count 3 is a possession offense. Wise added that there is no evidence that anyone else possessed the firearm.

Wise showed the courtroom a slide that defined the word “knowingly.” Wise then said that maybe if Hunter “hadn’t been to rehab” that he could argue he didn’t know he was an addict.

The prosecution's closing arguments are ongoing.

Fox News' Aubrie Spady contributed to this report.
Posted by Jamie Joseph

25 min(s) ago
Jurors might believe Hunter Biden is guilty and vote to acquit him anyway

The jurors set to decide the fate of Hunter Biden might believe that the son of President Joe Biden is guilty of the three felony firearm offenses he faces in a historic federal gun trial – and still vote to acquit him.

Even if the prosecution ably proves its case surrounding Biden’s October 2018 purchase of a .38 revolver from a gun shop in Delaware – it’s alleged that Biden lied on ATF Form 4473 when he ticked a box labeled "No" that asked if he is an unlawful user of a firearm or addicted to controlled substances – the Biden family’s outsized influence in the state, the political leanings of jurors, or a dismissive attitude toward the charges brought could lead the jury to acquit.

"The Bidens’ influence and their power in the state can’t be underestimated," Heritage Foundation senior legal fellow Zack Smith told Fox News Digital. "But I think the sympathetic issue is the one that Hunter Biden’s legal team is focusing on."

Nearly all the jurors impaneled said during the selection process that they knew someone with substance abuse issues. Smith said it’s likely that Biden’s defense team is hoping to play on those sympathies to convince jurors not to hold Biden responsible for checking the box.

"Particularly, some of the jurors might have had family or friends struggling with substance abuse issues and have some sympathy for Hunter Biden and his substance abuse issues," Smith said.
Posted by Emma Colton

51 min(s) ago
Prosecutor tells jury that Biden family members supporting Hunter in court ‘are not evidence’

Prosecutor Leo Wise, faced the jury with a PowerPoint behind him and began his closing arguments Monday afternoon.

He started, and referred directly to the Biden family members behind Hunter Biden, on his side of the gallery.

"People sitting in the gallery are not evidence," he said.Wise appeared to be referring to the Biden family in attendance during the trial, which included the First Lady.

He also reminded them of his colleague, Derek Hines' remarks in the opening statement, that nobody is above the law.

Closing arguments are ongoing.
Posted by Brianna Herlihy

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26 min(s) ago
Hunter Biden’s defense begins closing argument ahead of jury deliberations

Defense attorney Abbe Lowell begins closing arguments ahead of jury deliberations on the 6th day of the federal gun crime trial against Hunter Biden.

Biden is accused of lying on a federal firearm form, known as ATF Form 4473, in October 2018 when he ticked a box labeled "No" when asked if he is an unlawful user of a firearm or addicted to controlled substances.

Hunter faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison if he is convicted on all three counts against him
Posted by Brianna Herlihy

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9 min(s) ago
Defense stresses high burden of proof needed to prosecute

Hunter Biden's defense team highlighted the high burden of proof the government has to meet in order to secure a guilty verdict, arguing that the prosecution has not met that high bar.

The defense accused the prosecution of using a "magicians trick," showing you part of the image in one hand but not giving you the full picture in the other.

They also talked issues with the timeline of events, accusing the defense of trying to connect issues of past behavior with the time of the gun purchase, noting that Biden's past behavior doesn't mean he was doing the same thing at the time of the purchase.

The defense also questioned the use of Biden's memoir, arguing that it's not a diary and it is what Biden remembers about being a drug addict.

In regards to the text messages sent around the time of the alleged gun purchase, the defense pointed out that Biden could have been lying about meeting a dealer or smoking crack, pointing to previous lies.

Fox News' James Levinson contributed to this update
Posted by Michael Lee

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NYPost

 Hunter Biden ‘lost the power of self-control’ prosecutors say during closing arguments at gun trial
By Social Links for Jack Morphet ,
Social Links for Ryan King and
Social Links for Priscilla DeGregory
Published June 10, 2024, 1:26 p.m. ET

WILMINGTON, Del. — First son Hunter Biden had “lost the power of self-control” when he lied about his crack cocaine addiction to buy a gun in the fall of 2018, federal prosecutors told jurors in their closing argument Monday.

Prosecutor Leo Wise told the panelists in his summation that the government had proven a pattern of behavior by Hunter, now 54, that showed he was hooked on drugs beginning as far back as 2015 and continuing through at least 2019 — including through his own words to his loved ones.

 “We see in these messages [Hunter] buying drugs, telling other people he was using drugs, and describing himself as an addict,” Wise said. “He had lost the power of self-control. That’s why he kept going to rehab. He couldn’t stop on his own.”

The Biden scion is charged with three felony counts connected to his claim on a gun application form that he didn’t use illegal drugs the day he walked out of a Wilmington gun store with a .38-caliber Colt Cobra revolver.

more
https://nypost.com/2024/06/10/us-news/hunter-biden-lost-the-power-of-self-control-feds-at-gun-trial/

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33 min(s) ago
Prosecution in Hunter Biden gun trial begins rebuttal

Prosecutor Derek Hynes began his rebuttal at 3:00 p.m. ET, which will be brief.

Hynes will be responding to Hunter Biden's defense, which highlighted the high burden of proof the government has to meet in order to secure a guilty verdict, arguing that the prosecution has not met that high bar. The defense accused the prosecution of using a "magicians trick," showing you part of the image in one hand but not giving you the full picture in the other.

Biden is accused of lying on a federal firearm form, known as ATF Form 4473, in October 2018 when he ticked a box labeled "No" when asked if he is an unlawful user of a firearm or addicted to controlled substances.

Fox News' James Levinson, Brianna Herlihy and Michael Lee contributed to this report.
Posted by Jamie Joseph

6 min(s) ago
Pinned
Jury begins deliberations in Hunter Biden's federal gun trial

Judge Maryellen Noreika sent the jury back to begin deliberations in Hunter Biden's federal gun trial case on Monday afternoon.

Noreika gave the second portion of her final jury instructions to jurors shortly before dismissing them to deliberate.

Biden is accused of lying on a federal firearm form, known as ATF Form 4473, in October 2018 when he ticked a box labeled "No" when asked if he is an unlawful user of a firearm or addicted to controlled substances.

Fox News' Jake Gibson contributed to this report.
Posted by Jamie Joseph

Jonathan Turley: Odds are Hunter Biden will avoid prison but this is an 'open and shut case'
Fox News contributor Jonathan Turley reacts to closing arguments in the first son's federal gun trial on 'America Reports.'

Turley argued that the defense's most effective argument against convicting Hunter Biden is actually where the case is taking place and jury nullification.

"This is Biden town. I think if you look at the defense, this is just as clear as you can get for a jury nullification case," Turley said.

Turley added that the arguments the defense put up "collapsed within the first 48 hours" of the trial, adding the the prosecution.

But Turley also noted those that were there to support Biden during the trial, which could make an impression on the jury.

"You have a sizeable Biden contingent in that courtroom reminding the jurors that this is Biden town, this is their hometown. And I think the prosecutors are worried that no matter how strong their case, they might not be able to overcome that," Turley said.
Posted by Michael Lee

[mystery-ak]

 

17 min(s) ago
MSNBC analyst defends Hunter Biden in gun case by citing own alcoholism: 'Addiction is a disease'

MSNBC political analyst Molly Jong-Fast ran defense for Hunter Biden in a new column and TV appearance by calling addiction a "disease" and not a "moral failing" as his federal gun trial concludes this week.

"Addiction is a disease," she wrote on MSNBC. "People who struggle with addiction are sick, not bad. Huge swaths of the country are affected by alcohol and drug addiction that affects not just them, but their family members and people who are even tangentially connected to them — the parents, grandparents and kids and brothers and sisters and acquaintances of the addict."

"The reason why I wanted to come forward and write about this is because, even though I’ve been sober since I was a teenager, I felt that the disease that Hunter Biden has is the same disease that I have," Jong-Fast said Monday on "Morning Joe."

Read the full report by Brian Flood and David Rutz here.
Posted by Jamie Joseph

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Jury dismissed for the day..

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DAY 7

Jury Deliberations And Verdict

Last Update June 11, 2024 08:58am ET
Jury deliberations continue in day 7 of Hunter Biden's federal gun crime trial

Jury deliberations continue during Tuesday's proceedings at Hunter Biden's federal gun crime trial in Manhattan. The first son's defense team rested after a brief rebuttal period on Monday. There is no timeline for the jury's deliberations, but a verdict could come down as soon as Tuesday morning.

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10 min(s) ago
Hunter Biden arrives to Delaware court for day 7 of federal gun crime trial

Hunter Biden arrived to the Delaware courtroom for the seventh day of his federal gun crime trial Tuesday.

As with previous days, Hunter entered the court alongside his wife, Melissa Cohen.

Biden is facing charges of making a false statement in the purchase of a gun, making a false statement related to information required to be kept by a federally-licensed gun dealer and possession of a gun by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.

The total maximum prison time for the three charges could be up to 25 years. Each count carries a maximum fine of $250,000 and three years of supervised release.
Posted by Kyle Morris