The trial relating to tax charges of Hunter Biden in LA, since the withdrawal of President Biden from the 2024 race, has taken a background political role. However, with his son facing a potential prison sentence, the personal consequences are daunting. It is not unknown that Hunter, aged 54, has previously shown openness towards plea bargain arrangements that could have saved him from a prison sentence.
However, as both prosecution and defense gear up for the impending jury selection, insiders indicate that there is a slim likelihood of another agreement being reached. Contrarily, David C. Weiss, the Special Counsel in charge of the case, seems oriented towards pursuing a subsequent conviction while painting Hunter as an irresponsible, extravagant tax evader
Weiss previously obtained a conviction against Hunter on charges of falsifying a gun application in Delaware. Now, Hunter is looking down the barrel of charges including tax evasion, omission of filing and paying, and the submission of fraudulent tax returns.
Leo J. Wise and Derek Hines, Weiss’ primary deputies on the case appear to be ratcheting up legal pressure, potentially paving the way for a yet harsher plea deal than the initial agreement that eventually crumbled. But the prosecution’s tone seems to indicate otherwise, characterizing Hunter’s actions negatively while he grappled with drug and alcohol dependency issues.
Mark J. Geragos, Hunter’s legal counsel, spoke out against this approach, alleging that the objective of the prosecution was to tarnish Hunter’s image. The courtroom is bracing itself for a potentially tumultuous trial expected to span a fortnight, as tempers rose in a preliminary hearing last month.
In the past, House Republicans were under the impression that Hunter’s legal problems could serve as a means to destroy the credibility of his father among voters. However, despite their excessive efforts, the fantastical narrative of a Secretary Joe Biden led ‘Biden Crime Family’ never surfaced. Moreover, it has been made abundantly clear that the case in California will not present evidence of any official misconduct by the then Vice President Biden.
While contact remains consistent between Weiss and Hunter’s legal parties, concerning trial-related procedures, there are no hints that a plea arrangement is within reach. On completion of his previous conviction, Hunter stands to face a maximum of 25 years of prison time, although it is probable that as a first-time offender with several years of sobriety, the sentence will be less severe.
Relative to the gun conviction and if found guilty, Hunter may face a 17-year imprisonment for skirting federal taxes on revenues accrued from international businesses during his struggles with substance issues. No matter the result, the trial in California is likely to be a trial in itself for the Biden family.
In the previous trial, Weiss summoned testimonials from Hunter’s romantic partners, including his ex-wife, and the widow of his deceased brother, Beau Biden. The testimonies covered a grim phase of Hunter’s adulthood where he was grappling with crack addiction following Beau’s demise, leading to a string of personal, political, and financial crises.
During the hearing, Geragos, having represented a slew of notable defendants such as Michael Jackson and Chris Brown, suggested a preliminary defense strategy that mirrors that used in Delaware.
The defense is looking to introduce evidence and testimony to reflect on two significant traumas that allegedly led Hunter down a tainted path: the tragic deaths of his mother and sibling in a car crash in 1972, and the loss of his brother to cancer in 2015. However, Judge Mark C. Scarsi, a Trump-appointed official controlling the case, discarded these attempts, citing them irrelevant to the central issue, Hunter’s tax payments.
During the arguing over witnesses and evidence, Geragos did claim a moderate win: Scarsi barred the admission of documents that showed Hunter discharged from the Navy for cocaine use in 2014, a revelation that could weaken the defense’s claim of Hunter’s behavior worsening only post-2015.
There seems to be an urgent pace to completing the jury selection, including alternate members, by the week’s end from a pool of 100 potential jurors. Instructions have been dispatched to the lawyers to make their opening statements by Monday.