Gun Trial: US President Biden's Son Found Guilty

US President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden, has been found guilty by a jury of illegal possession of a firearm. The sentence will be announced at a later date - in the worst-case scenario, he faces a long prison sentence.

In the trial against Hunter Biden for several violations of gun laws, the jury found the son of US President Joe Biden guilty on all three counts. US media reported this unanimously, citing reporters in the courtroom. Hunter Biden faces a long prison sentence The sentence will be announced by the responsible judge, Maryellen Noreika, at a later date.

The 54-year-old faces up to 25 years in prison. However, it is unclear to what extent the judge will push the sentence to the limit, as he has no previous convictions. The twelve jurors retired to deliberate on Monday afternoon (local time) after the prosecution and defense had finished presenting their evidence.

In the trial in the city of Wilmington in the state of Delaware, Hunter Biden was accused of making false statements when buying a gun in October 2018 and concealing his drug addiction at the time. He is said to have then illegally owned the gun he bought for eleven days. Biden denied the allegations. On Tuesday morning (local time), the jury met again to deliberate.

Addiction problems and shady deals Hunter Biden has been making headlines for years. In addition to alcohol addiction and drug addiction, there are also shady deals and legal disputes with a former stripper over child support for an illegitimate child. At the beginning of December, he was also charged in the state of California for allegedly failing to pay federal taxes properly for several years.

There had previously been extensive investigations against the president's son because of the various allegations. In July 2023, an agreement with the public prosecutor's office to avoid court proceedings failed. In mid-August, US Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed a special investigator in the case.

Indictments in Delaware and California followed in September and December. During the weapons trial in Wilmington, a lot of dirty laundry was washed, which political opponents of Joe Biden used for their own purposes. In addition to Hunter Biden's daughter Naomi, former partners also testified.

The questioning shed light on the president's son's drug addiction, which he himself made public in his autobiography. However, he denies having been addicted to drugs when he bought the gun. The burden for US President Biden The trial was a political burden for US President Biden. The conviction of his son is likely to put further pressure on the Democrat in the middle of the election campaign.

The US President himself did not come to the courtroom. However, various other family members showed solidarity - such as Hunter's stepmother, First Lady Jill Biden. Before the verdict against Hunter Biden, US President Biden had announced that he would not pardon him if he was found guilty.

Hunter is his son from his first marriage. As a young man, the current president lost his then wife Neilia and their daughter Naomi in a car accident in 1972. His sons Beau and Hunter survived. Joe Biden's second wife Jill took on the role of mother to both of them.

Francis Tawiah (Duisburg-Germany)