As the first criminal trial of a U.S. president’s child resumes on Monday, Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, will decide whether to take the witness stand in his own defense. The 54-year-old faces felony charges of lying about his drug addiction on a government screening document when purchasing a Colt Cobra revolver in 2018 and illegally possessing the weapon for 11 days.
Prosecutors rested their case on Friday after a week of testimony that provided a detailed look into Hunter Biden’s struggles with alcohol and crack cocaine abuse. The prosecution argued that his addiction legally prevented him from buying a gun. Testifying can be a risky move for criminal defendants, as it exposes them to cross-examination.
The defense is expected to announce on Monday whether Hunter Biden will testify. Last week, the prosecution called several witnesses, including Biden’s ex-wife, former girlfriend, and sister-in-law, who testified about his drug use and their concerns about his spiraling addiction. However, Biden told the judge overseeing the case at a 2023 hearing that he has been sober since 2019.
If convicted, the sentencing guidelines for the charges against Biden range from 15 to 21 months. However, legal experts suggest that defendants in similar cases often receive shorter sentences and are less likely to be incarcerated if they comply with the terms of their pretrial release.
