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Hunter Biden’s tax charges trial will be pushed to September after his legal team advocated for a delay.
The president’s son will now face his tax trial on 5 September in California. US District Judge Mark Scarsi cited the “needs of the defendant” when ruling on the delay, the Associated Press reports.
Mr Biden was indicted on nine tax-related criminal charges in December, three of which are felony counts. Prosecutors say the 54-year-old made millions from 2016 to 2020 and engaged in a lavish lifestyle while skipping out on more than $1.4m in taxes. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The trial date comes after Mr Biden filed to dismiss the charges, a request which Judge Scarsi denied last month.
“Defendant provides no facts indicating that the Government undertook charging decisions in any respect because of public statements by politicians, let alone based on Defendant’s familial and political affiliations,” Mr Scarsi said.
Mr Biden is still scheduled to go to trial on 3 June for a separate case regarding federal gun charges in Delaware. Prosecutors allege he lied about his history of drug abuse in order to buy a gun that he possessed for eleven days.
He was indicted on three felony gun charges, including falsifying a firearms application, lying to a federally licensed gun dealer and possession of an illegally obtained gun, in September. Mr Biden also pleaded not guilty to those charges.
Mr Biden’s legal team told Judge Scarsi they are struggling to prepare for both trials amid the “uniquely challenging and high-profile nature” of the cases, according to the AP.
More to come…
