A federal judge in Los Angeles has set a schedule for the upcoming criminal trial of Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden. The trial is set to begin with jury selection on September 5, with opening statements scheduled for September 9. Prosecutors anticipate presenting their case over six days with fewer than 30 witnesses, while Biden’s defense team expects their presentation to take about two days.
Biden, who has pleaded not guilty to charges of tax evasion, was not present at the court hearing, where his attorneys and prosecutors had tense exchanges over what evidence could be presented at trial. Biden’s attorneys sought to include evidence of traumas that contributed to his drug addiction, such as the deaths of his mother, sister, and brother, but the judge ultimately ruled against allowing most of this evidence.
The indictment against Biden alleges that he spent millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle instead of paying his taxes, including spending on drugs, escorts, luxury hotels, and other personal items. The judge heard arguments about what lifestyle evidence could be introduced at trial, particularly focusing on alleged attempts to write off payments to prostitutes as business expenses.
The trial is being prosecuted by the Special Counsel’s office, which previously convicted Biden on gun-related charges earlier in the year. The judge set a trial schedule that includes no trial days on Mondays, with jury proceedings beginning at 9 a.m. each day. Biden is scheduled to be sentenced for the gun-related charges in November.
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