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Federal judge rejects Hunter Biden's request to drop federal gun case

Apr 13, 2024 08:36 AM IST

Hunter Biden's trial to start in June, denies charges of falsifying information on federal firearm forms.

A federal judge in Delaware has dismissed multiple attempts by Hunter Biden to have his felony gun indictment dropped.

Hunter Biden is currently swimming into legal woes. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo(REUTERS)
Hunter Biden is currently swimming into legal woes. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo(REUTERS)

The trial, which will be for the very first time a child of the President who is still in office is prosecuted, is set to start during the first week of June. This is further in tune with presidential candidate Joe Biden’s stimulus plan for his second term in White House.

Federal Judge Maryellen Noreika, presiding over this high-profile case, issued her decisions on Friday.

Hunter pleaded not guilty

He denied the charges of falsifying information on federal firearm forms and possessing a firearm while using illegal drugs.

The first son’s legal team argued that their client was being unfairly targeted due to his familial connection to the current President.

However, the federal judge highlighted that the attorney general responsible for appointing Special Counsel David Weiss, who is leading the prosecution against Hunter, was appointed by the president himself.

ALSO READ| Judge rejects Hunter Biden's plea to dismiss tax case, US President's son to undergo trial in June

In her ruling, Judge Noreika stated, “The Executive Branch that charged Defendant is headed by that sitting President – Defendant’s father. The Attorney General heading the DOJ was appointed by and reports to Defendant’s father. And that Attorney General appointed the Special Counsel who made the challenged charging decision in this case – while Defendant’s father was still the sitting President.”

She further dismissed the notion that Hunter Biden was being prosecuted due to his relationship with his father, labelling such a claim as “nonsensical under the facts here.”

Hunter has ‘failed to offer clear evidence’: Judge

The judge ruled that a previous agreement from 2023 between Hunter and Weiss did not grant him immunity from the ongoing prosecution. She also rejected the assertion that the charges were politically motivated.

Judge Noreika concluded that Hunter “has failed to offer clear evidence” that the decision to indict him was influenced by his or his father’s political ties. She noted that there were “legitimate considerations that support the decision to prosecute.”

A key motion by Hunter Biden, which challenges the constitutionality of the gun laws under which he was charged, has yet to receive a ruling, as indicated by the court docket.

ALSO READ| Hunter Biden requests Los Angeles judge to waive $1.4M tax evasion case

The legal woes for Hunter extend beyond the gun case in Delaware. He is also contending with several federal tax charges in California. The judge overseeing the tax case has similarly dismissed arguments related to the 2023 agreement and alleged political motivations behind Weiss’ investigation.

The trial concerning the tax charges is scheduled to begin in late June, following the conclusion of the gun case trial.

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Read breaking news, latest updates from United States on topics related to politics, crime, along with national affairs. Stay up to date with news developments on Kamala Harris, Donald Trump,and Joe Biden along with Super Bowl 2025 Live Updates.
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Read breaking news, latest updates from United States on topics related to politics, crime, along with national affairs. Stay up to date with news developments on Kamala Harris, Donald Trump,and Joe Biden along with Super Bowl 2025 Live Updates.
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