Hunter Biden, the son of US president Joe Biden, has gone on trial accused of owning a firearm while addicted to illegal drugs.
Hunter Biden, 54, stands accused of hiding his drug addiction to buy a Colt revolver in Delaware in October 2018, with Mr Biden Jr pleading not guilty to the charges. He is the first ever child of a sitting US president to go on trial.
It is alleged that the former lawyer lied about his drug addiction while filling out background documents to purchase the handgun in 2018. The president’s son denies illegally possessing the firearm, but has however admitted to smoking crack cocaine “every 15 minutes seven days a week” – an admission made in his 2021 memoir which is now expected to be used against him.
A jury was selected on Monday, which will hear evidence including text messages from Mr Biden Jr that refer to him smoking crack cocaine, along with extracts from his memoir, Beautiful Things, released in 2021 – that discusses his highly publicised addiction to drugs and alcohol. The revelations, made int he memoir, will now act as evidence in the trial.
Ahead of Tuesday’s opening statements, his father issued a statement, which expressed support for his only surviving son.
“I am the president, but I am also a dad,” said President Joe Biden as jury selection began on Monday.
The president, who said in 2020 that he was “proud” of Hunter, continued: “As president, I don’t and won’t comment on pending federal cases.
“But as a dad, I have boundless love for my son, confidence in him and respect for his strength.”
Biden Jr is being represented by high-profile defence attorney Abbe Lowell, while the prosecution has been brought by David Weiss, a special counsel who has been selected by the federal Department of Justice.
The document at the centre of the trial is a form which shows that Mr Biden Jr ticked “no” to a question which asked whether he was an “unlawful user” or “addicted to” illegal drugs. Other evidence is set to include pictures along with text messages.
Hallie Biden, Hunter’s brother Beau’s widow, who he became romantically involved with after his brother’s death, is set to be one of the key witnesses against him.
Hunter Biden is facing separate tax evasion charges in his home state of California, with that case set to go to trial later in the year.