The prosecution presents the closing arguments in the trial against the son of President Biden

2024-06-10 22:11:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The prosecution presents the closing arguments in the trial against the son of

Hunter Bieber

A prosecutor said Monday that "no one is above the law" as he urged a jury to convict President Joe Biden's son Hunter on charges he lied about drug use on a 2018 gun purchase form .

Prosecutor Leo Wise began his closing arguments shortly after the defense finished presenting evidence without asking Mr. Biden to testify at his trial.

The trial brought to light some of the darkest moments of Mr. Hunter Biden's life related to drug use.

The evidence against US President Joe Biden's son was ugly, but it proves he was guilty of making a false statement about drug use on a background check form when he bought a gun, prosecutor Wise said.

"The evidence was personal, ugly and overwhelming," prosecutor Leo Wise told 12 jurors during closing arguments in the trial of President Joe Boden's son, 54-year-old Hunter Biden. "But presenting this evidence was also necessary."

Earlier, Hunter Biden was seen smiling during a conversation with his defense attorneys and waved to a supporter from a distance in the courtroom hallway after the appearance of the last witness, an FBI agent called by the prosecution.

Several family members, including First Lady Jill Biden and President Biden's brother, James Biden, were present in the courtroom in Delaware. Mrs. Biden was present during almost the entire trial, missing only one day due to participation in ceremonies in honor of the anniversary of the landing of Allied troops in Normandy, France.

Prosecutors in the first criminal trial of the son of a US president finished presenting evidence and witnesses Friday after a week of revealing intimate details of years of alcohol and cocaine abuse that prosecutors say made him illegal gun purchases for Mr. Biden.

Hunter Biden, 54, has pleaded not guilty to criminal charges that he lied about his drug addiction on a government form for the purchase of a Colt Cobra pistol and unlawful possession of a gun for 11 days.

The trial, which is taking place in a federal court in Delaware, follows the historic trial of former President Donald Trump, in which he was found guilty on May 30 of 34 criminal charges. Mr. Trump is expected to be the Republican candidate for president in the November 5 presidential election, in which he is expected to face President Biden.

Mr. Trump and some of his Republican allies in Congress have claimed that the trial in New York and the three other criminal cases against him are politically motivated efforts to prevent his return to power.

Democratic lawmakers in Congress cite the investigation and trial of Hunter Biden as evidence that President Joe Biden is not using the justice system for political or personal gain.

Last week, Mr. Hunter Biden's ex-wife, ex-girlfriend and sister-in-law testified about his history of drug use, telling jurors that they often found drugs in his apartment and were concerned about his addiction. from drugs.

Hunter Biden told the judge overseeing the case at a 2023 hearing that he has not consumed alcohol or drugs since 2019.

Mr. Biden's lawyer, Abbe Lowell, told jurors during his opening statement that his client did not intend to deceive because at the time he bought the gun he did not consider himself a drug user.

The defense called three witnesses on Friday, including the owner of the gun store and an employee, and Mr. Biden's daughter, Naomi, who said her father appeared to be fine when she saw him in the weeks before and after buying the gun.

If convicted, Hunter Biden faces up to 25 years in prison, although first-time offenders receive far lesser sentences than the maximum sentence. It remains unclear whether the judge will give him a prison sentence./ VOA