Hunter Biden asks for new trial in gun case, but scraps request minutes later
Hunter Biden’s lawyer on Monday, June 17, asked for a new trial based on a technicality – but mysteriously cancelled the request just minutes later.
Hunter Biden’s lawyer on Monday, June 17, asked for a new trial based on a technicality days after his conviction – but mysteriously cancelled the request just minutes later. Hunter was found guilty of lying about his drug addiction to purchase a gun back in 2018, and could face up to 25 years in prison.
Why was the request cancelled?
The lawyers of the first son filed papers in Delaware federal court Monday morning, pointing out that because of the Philadelphia-based Third Circuit Court of Appeals’ pending rulings, trial judge Maryellen Noreika did not have jurisdiction over Hunter’s case. Multiple motions to toss the charges against Hunter had been rejected by Noreika, even after arguments that the case violated his Second Amendment rights.The appeals court has not ruled on a request to have the question reconsidered by the full Third Circuit even though a three-judge panel upheld the judge’s rulings.
“The Third Circuit, however, did not then and has not yet issued its mandate as to the orders dismissing either appeal,” Hunter’s lawyer Abbe Lowell wrote in the filing, according to New York Post. “Thus, when this Court empaneled the jury on June 3, 2024 and proceeded to trial, it was without jurisdiction to do so.”
However, it appeared as though the motion had been rescinded just moments later. “The Motion for a New Trial… has been deleted at the request of counsel,” said a note in the court docket. It is unclear why the motion was scrapped.
On May 9, the Third Circuit rejected one of Hunter’s appeals. Then on May 28, the appellate court shot down Hunter’s other bid to toss the three gun charges.
A federal jury found Hunter guilty on all three federal felony gun charges he was facing. He was accused of violating laws that are in place to prevent drug addicts from owning guns.