Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, has become the first child of a sitting U.S. president to face criminal charges. He is on trial for allegedly lying about his drug use on forms to buy a gun in 2018.
Biden, 54, has pleaded not guilty to the charges, which could lead to a prison sentence of up to 25 years if he is found guilty.
The trial began with jury selection and is set to continue with opening statements. Prosecutors will present evidence, including text messages and testimonies from Biden’s ex-wife and ex-partner, to show that he was using drugs when he bought the gun.
They argue that Biden lied on a federal form by stating he wasn’t using drugs, which he later admitted in his memoir.
Defense lawyers argue that the prosecution must prove Biden was aware of his addiction at the time of the purchase and that the evidence against him is not strong.
The trial, occurring as President Biden campaigns for re-election, could be politically damaging, with opponents likely using the details of Hunter’s addiction to criticize the president.
Additionally, Hunter Biden faces separate charges in California for tax evasion and filing false tax returns.
Despite the serious charges, actual sentences for federal crimes are often less than the maximum penalties.
For more details, refer to the BBC.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4nnr9945vmo