Hunter Biden, son of US President Joe Biden, arrives in court for tax evasion in Los Angeles, California, on September 5, 2024.
Ringo Chiu AFP Getty Images
Hunter Biden’s attorney told a federal judge in Los Angeles there is no reason to proceed with jury selection in the criminal tax case Thursday morning because President Joe Biden’s son plans to change his plea.
The lawyer, Abbe Lowell, said that Hunter Biden wants to enter a plea called Alford, where the defendant maintains that he is not guilty of the crime he is accused of, but admits that the prosecutors have enough evidence to convict him.
If US Judge Mark Scarsi accepts the Alford plea, Biden will be convicted.
Lowell’s announcement surprised prosecutors. Scarsi gave himself time to digest the development and discuss it with Biden’s defense team.
Biden, 54, previously pleaded not guilty in the case, in which he was charged with three felony counts and six misdemeanors related to failing to pay at least $1.4 million in federal taxes from 2016 to 2019.
More than 100 prospective jurors were gathered Thursday morning to participate in jury selection for the trial in the case.
But Lowell told Scarsi, “There is no reason to proceed with jury selection because Mr. Biden is going to change his plea.”
Lowell told Scarsi that there was “no agreement” with prosecutors regarding Biden’s planned Alford plea. But the lawyer said there were no conditions to the agreement.
“The statute is very clear. If the defendant complies with rule 11b, the court must accept the plea,” Lowell said.
Lowell also said, “I don’t think we’re going to agree under conventional plea conditions,” which could require prosecutors to agree to the terms of the plea.
Leo Wise, the prosecutor in the case, told Scarsi, “This is the first we’ve heard of this.”
Wise asked for time to discuss the proposed changes to personal requests.
“I think we can get it done today,” Lowell said. “No need for a day.”
Scarsi told the lawyers that – for now – he would not release the 125 people he had assembled for jury selection. He recessed proceedings in the case until 2 pm ET.
Hunter Biden was found guilty in June after being tried in another case where he was accused of committing a crime related to the purchase of a handgun in 2018 while being a cocaine user and addict.
He is awaiting sentencing in the case, which is being tried in U.S. District Court in Delaware.
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