Hunter Biden, son of U.S. President Joe Biden, made a request for a review of federal illegal gun possession charges on Monday, citing procedural errors.
Earlier this month, Hunter was convicted of falsely claiming he had not used illegal drugs when purchasing a firearm six years ago, and subsequently illegally possessing the weapon.
In court documents submitted on Monday by Hunter’s lawyer Abbe Lowell, it was argued that the conviction should be overturned because the Third Circuit Court of Appeals had not yet issued an order to remand the case back to the trial court after rejecting his two appeals at the end of May.
As a result, the formation of a jury and the commencement of the trial on June 3, 2024, were deemed unauthorized.
Lowell wrote, “Of course, actions taken by any district court after jurisdiction has been stripped by appeal must be vacated.”
Hunter’s three felony convictions stem from his purchase of a Colt Cobra revolver in 2018. On a federal gun purchase form, when asked if he had ever used or been addicted to illegal drugs, he checked “no.” He then illegally held the firearm for 11 days.
Hunter has a documented history of cocaine addiction, a fact that has been publicly acknowledged by both him and his father, President Biden. Testimonies from three women who have had emotional relationships with him, including his ex-wife, ex-girlfriend, and his late brother’s widow, further corroborate this.
Hunter could face up to 25 years in prison and a $750,000 fine, but first-time offenders are rarely sentenced to the maximum penalty.
The length of his sentence will be at the judge’s discretion, with federal sentencing guidelines recommending 15 to 21 months of imprisonment for such defendants.
The sentencing date is yet to be determined.