Hunter Biden Fails to Delay June 3 Trial on Delaware Gun Charges

(Bloomberg) -- Hunter Biden will go on trial as planned in June for violations of federal gun laws, a judge ruled.

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US District Judge Maryellen Noreika in Delaware during a hearing Tuesday rejected an effort by lawyers for the son of US President Joe Biden to delay the trial until at least September.

After arguing for an hour, Noreika said she “was not persuaded” by Hunter Biden’s lawyers that they didn’t have enough time to prepare for the June 3 trial. The trial will be the first of two that are scheduled for June as his father campaigns for reelection.

Biden’s lead lawyer Abbe Lowell said one problem the defense faced was lining up experts to testify on behalf of the president’s son. “People are reluctant to become involved in this case because of all the noise that accompanies a high-profile case like this one,” Lowell said.

Hunter Biden was indicted by Special Counsel David Weiss on three felony counts relating to his October 2018 purchase of a Colt Cobra .38 caliber revolver while he was addicted to illegal narcotics.

According to the indictment, Biden lied on a federal handgun purchase form when he answered “no” to a question about asking if he was an unlawful user of any controlled substance. Two of the gun counts carry maximum prison time of 10 years; the third is punishable by as much as five years. Judges rarely impose maximum sentences, though.

Weiss also has indicted Hunter Biden in Los Angeles on nine tax charges. A trial for those charges is scheduled for later in June.

The case is USA v. Biden, 23-cr-61, US District Court, District of Delaware (Wilmington).

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