A court order issued on Wednesday by U.S. Magistrate Judge Christopher Burke of the federal district court in Delaware has mandated that Hunter Biden, President Biden’s son, appear in-person for his arraignment on three felony gun charges scheduled for October 3rd. Judge Burke emphasized that Hunter Biden should not receive special treatment unless there are unusual circumstances, and therefore, his physical presence is required for his initial appearance and arraignment.
Hunter Biden’s legal team had previously requested that the proceeding be conducted via video conference, citing significant financial and logistical burdens associated with his cross-country travel. Despite their request, they confirmed that Hunter Biden intends to waive reading of the indictment and plead not guilty to the charges, regardless of whether his appearance is virtual or in-person.
In their letter to the court, Hunter Biden’s lawyers explained that his preference for a video conference appearance was aimed at minimizing the burden on government resources and reducing disruption to the courthouse and downtown areas. They asserted that he was not seeking special treatment but was willing to attend in-person if required.
Special counsel David Weiss, responsible for overseeing the case, opposed the request for a virtual appearance. Weiss and his team argued that an in-person hearing was essential to maintain public confidence in the consistent treatment of defendants. They emphasized that in-person proceedings had become the norm since the expiration of a COVID-19-related video conferencing order in June 2022.
Hunter Biden faces three felony charges related to his 2018 purchase of a Colt Cobra 38SPL revolver while being a drug user. The charges allege that he knowingly made false statements on firearms purchase forms, falsely represented himself to the firearms dealer, and unlawfully possessed the firearm while being a drug user, violating federal law. If convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.”
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