The judge leading the federal weapons case against Hunter Biden in Delaware decided that lawyers on special counsel David Weiss’ team cannot use some salacious evidence in the criminal trial in June, including references to his discharge from the U.S. Navy. United States and to the child support case for his out-of-wedlock daughter in Arkansas.
The court met for a final hearing before jury selection begins on June 3.
Prosecutors plan to use parts of his book and laptop, including photos, to convince jurors that President Joe Biden’s son is guilty of making false statements on a federal form when he acquired a handgun in 2018 while actively using narcotics. . Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Judge Maryellen Noreika said Weiss must prove that Hunter Biden was addicted to drugs, but was not necessarily using drugs on the day he bought the gun.
The prosecution did not anticipate releasing the entire controversial laptop that has details of Hunter Biden’s life, but it will use certain parts.
Noreika did not rule that Biden’s defense will be able to question aspects of the laptop in front of the jury, which was leaked in 2020, just before the presidential elections, and was denounced as Russian disinformation by 51 former intelligence officials.
In court papers, lawyers asked the court to prevent some salacious details of his life from being shown to the jury to avoid the “significant risk of unfair prejudice.”
In what is called a “motion in limine,” the defendant asked the court “to exclude the reference to the child support proceeding in Arkansas and the reference to his discharge from the Navy.” This is in reference to the daughter he had out of his marriage with the former stripper, Lunden Roberts, whose daughter is the granddaughter of the Democratic president.
Acknowledging that some of the evidence prosecutors want to present may be important to the case, including apparent drug evidence, ATM withdrawals and the purchase of the revolver, Biden’s defense noted that other details such as references to money allegedly spent on “adult entertainment, online chat rooms or escort services are not relevant to the charges.”
“Characterizing or referencing unnecessary salacious details, such as how much things cost, whether they are luxurious, or citing expenses related to alleged collateral sexual conduct unrelated to the charges here, is the exact type of damaging and inflammatory evidence that tends to create response.” emotional in the jury,” the defense alleged.
“Accordingly, Mr. Biden respectfully requests that this Court grant his motion in limine to exclude any reference to an ‘extravagant’ or ‘lavish’ lifestyle during the periods of his addiction,” his attorneys wrote.
The judge agreed in part, ruling that the special counsel cannot use the phrase “extravagant lifestyle” but can include evidence that Biden had spent a lot of money, Fox News reported.
Likewise, Noreika decided that the special prosecutor cannot discuss the discharge of Biden from the Navy, who was discharged in 2014 after testing positive for cocaine use.
Additionally, he said Weiss cannot use Hunter Biden’s comments since the day he originally pleaded guilty as part of a failed deal.
According to Weiss’ weapons indictment, Biden purchased a Colt Cobra revolver on October 12, 2018 and “knowingly made a false and fictitious written statement, intending and likely to deceive that dealer with respect to a material fact.” for the legality of the sale of the firearm…certifying that he was not an illegal user or addict of any stimulant, narcotic or any other controlled substance, when in fact, as he knew, that statement was false and fictitious.”
Hunter Biden also faces charges of possessing that firearm, which was “shipped and transported in interstate commerce,” for nearly a week, despite being addicted to narcotics.
With all of the allegations combined, the total maximum prison sentence for the charges could be up to 25 years. Each charge carries a maximum fine of $250,000 and three years of supervised probation.
Keep reading:
- The trial of Biden’s son for tax evasion is postponed until September
- Prosecutor plans to call Hunter Biden’s brother’s ex-wife and widow as witnesses at his trial
- Federal court rejects Hunter Biden’s appeal over weapons charges