Biden vows to respect guilty verdict in son's gun trial

Hunter Biden convicted on all charges

FE Team | Published: June 12, 2024 21:27:06

Hunter Biden

NEW YORK, June 12 (BBC/AFP): US President Joe Biden has said he will respect a jury's decision to find his son guilty of gun crimes, after a week-long trial that laid bare a tumultuous time for the family.
The 12-person jury found Hunter Biden, 54, guilty of lying about his drug use on a form while purchasing a handgun in 2018. He faces possible jail time following the verdict, which marked the first criminal prosecution of a sitting president's child.
His conviction on all three felony counts comes as President Biden campaigns for re-election in November, and less than two weeks after his election rival Donald Trump was himself convicted of a crime in New York.
While President Biden did not attend the trial in Delaware, many family members including First Lady Jill Biden did so regularly. Hunter Biden's wife, sister and uncle were all present at times to support him during proceedings.
President Biden flew to Wilmington, Delaware, after the verdict where he greeted and hugged his son on the tarmac.
"I am the president, but I am also a dad. Jill and I love our son, and we are so proud of the man he is today," he said in a statement. Mr Biden added that he would "accept the outcome of this case and… continue to respect the judicial process as Hunter considers an appeal".
President Biden earlier ruled out pardoning his son, whose trial aired embarrassing details as prosecutors sought to show he was using crack cocaine at the time he bought the gun.
Meanwhile, a jury found Hunter Biden guilty on Tuesday of federal gun charges in a historic first criminal prosecution of the child of a sitting US president.