During a final hearing prior to the trial of Hunter Biden on gun charges in Delaware, a judge made crucial rulings that will determine the evidence presented to the jury during the upcoming proceedings starting on June 3. These rulings pave the way for the inclusion of contents from a laptop left by Biden at a Delaware repair shop, as well as evidence regarding his drug use.
Hunter Biden’s attorneys have contended that some of the material found on the laptop is not genuine. However, prosecutors have responded by stating that they have not been presented with any evidence to support this claim. In 2019, a computer repair shop owner handed over a laptop to the FBI, stating that it had been left behind by Hunter Biden. Additionally, the owner provided a copy of the laptop’s data to Rudy Giuliani, former lawyer for Donald Trump. Hunter Biden later filed a lawsuit against Giuliani, accusing him of hacking into the laptop. Despite Giuliani showcasing the laptop in public, his spokesperson denied any manipulation of the device when the lawsuit was filed. The resolution of this lawsuit is still pending.
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During the pre-trial conference, U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika granted victories to both parties. Hunter Biden’s attorneys were allowed to address certain concerns regarding the laptop evidence during the trial. However, the judge sided with the prosecutors on the requirement of proving Hunter Biden’s drug use at the time of purchasing a gun in 2018. According to Judge Noreika, the prosecution needs to demonstrate that Hunter Biden was using or addicted to drugs around the time of the purchase. The defense argued that prosecutors should be obliged to prove that Hunter Biden was using drugs on the precise day he bought the gun in question.
Hunter Biden, the son of President Biden, has been accused by special counsel David Weiss of illegally purchasing and possessing a Colt Cobra 388PL revolver for a period of 11 days. Additionally, it is alleged that Hunter Biden provided false information on a gun purchase form by claiming he was not a drug user. However, Hunter Biden has entered a plea of not guilty in relation to these charges, which were filed in Delaware.
The judge made favorable rulings for Hunter Biden, stating that prosecutors cannot bring up his tax case in California, his child support case in Arkansas, or his discharge from the Navy. Additionally, they are not allowed to mention his “extravagant lifestyle.” However, they are permitted to discuss how he paid for drugs.
The trial is scheduled to commence on June 3rd following the denial of Hunter Biden’s attempt to dismiss the charges by a federal appeals court. He asserted that the charges were unprecedented, unconstitutional, and violated a diversion agreement made with federal prosecutors. However, the diversion agreement fell apart in July when a judge declined to approve it.
During Friday’s hearing, tensions rose when the defense pointed out a discrepancy on the form that Hunter Biden supposedly signed when purchasing the gun. The form indicated that he affirmed not being under the influence or addicted to drugs.
According to Abbe Lowell, Hunter Biden’s attorney, additional information was included in the digital version of the form that was submitted to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives once the criminal investigation had commenced. The digital version contained details stating that Hunter Biden had provided his passport and Delaware vehicle registration as forms of identification, which were allegedly absent from the form he had initially signed.
According to Lowell, the credibility of the gun store employee and owner is cast into doubt due to the discrepancy. He alleges that they failed to fill out the form correctly and may now have a bias to collaborate with the government in order to avoid facing consequences for tampering with the form. Lowell intends to interrogate the workers about the incident.
The prosecution contended that the difference was not significant.
“The moment he signed that certification, the crime was considered complete,” stated prosecutor Derek Hines.
Prosecutors anticipate that around 12 witnesses will provide testimony during the trial, while the defense intends to call a few witnesses, including experts. It is estimated that the trial will span a minimum of two weeks.
During Friday’s hearing, several unresolved matters were brought up, including the question of whether Hunter Biden would testify. The judge stated that she would need to assess the progress of the case before making a decision on this issue. Hunter Biden’s defense team indicated that there was a chance he might choose to testify in his own defense.
