Hunter Biden Pleads Not Guilty to Illegal Gun Possession Charges

The son of U.S. President Joe Biden, Hunter, rejected the charges of illegal gun possession during hearings held Tuesday in a Delaware court, according to the Associated Press (AP).

Biden Jr. was charged in September for failing to disclose drug use on a firearm purchase form in 2018, while he possessed the weapon for 11 days. Hunter admitted that he was struggling with a crack cocaine addiction during that time.

His attorneys argue that he did not violate the law. AP notes that such charges related to gun purchases are rare.

Previously, Hunter had been preparing to strike a deal with the Department of Justice by pleading guilty to tax crimes and illegal gun possession. The deal would have seen the court impose probation on Hunter instead of imprisonment for the tax offenses. Regarding the gun charges, as long as Hunter remained drug-free, he could avoid criminal prosecution for the gun charge if he did not commit a serious crime in the next two years.

However, the judge has refused to enter into such a deal, which Hunter's attorneys claim is due to pressures from Republican forces on the judicial system. Meanwhile, Hunter is facing a maximum of 25 years in prison for charges of false testimony and illegal gun possession.