Hunter Biden: Difference between revisions

On September 5, 2024, Biden's defense lawyer Abbe Lowell revealed that Biden would change his plea from not guilty to guilty in the federal tax case.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-tax-trial-justice-department-6873692c030244b450e27826e7097946|title=Hunter Biden intends to change not guilty plea in his federal tax case, defense attorney says|first1=Amy|last1=Taxin|first2=Deepa|last2=Bharath|first3=Claudia|last3=Lauer|first4=Alex|last4=Veiga|publisher=Associated Press|date=September 5, 2024|accessdate=September 5, 2024}}</ref> Biden had been indicted with three felony charges– one tax evasion count and two counts of filing false returns – and six misdemeanor charges.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2024/09/05/hunter-biden-plea-criminal-tax-trial/75087147007/|title=Hunter Biden proposes to accept sentencing and avoid criminal tax trial|first=Aysha|last=Bagchi|publisher=USA Today|date=September 5, 2024|accessdate=September 5, 2024}}</ref> It was not immediately made clear if the presiding Judge [[Mark C. Scarsi]] would accept this plea proposal, which would be regarded as an [[Alford plea]].<ref name=alfordoffer>{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/joe-biden/hunter-biden-intends-plead-guilty-federal-tax-charges-rcna169621|title=Hunter Biden intends to change his plea in federal tax case to avoid a trial|first1=Sarah|last1=Fitzpatrick|first2=Dareh|last2=Gregorian|first3=Katie|last3=Wall|publisher=NBC News|date=September 5, 2024|accessdate=September 5, 2024}}</ref> Under this plea agreement, Biden would accept both a sentence and the strength of evidence against him, but also maintain his innocence.<ref name=proposedpleaoffer>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/05/us/politics/hunter-biden-tax-trial.html|title=Hunter Biden Enters Surprise Plea in Tax Case|first1=Glenn|last1=Trush|first2=Lauren|last2=Herstik|publisher=New York Times|date=September 5, 2024|accessdate=September 5, 2024}}</ref><ref name=decisiondiscussion>{{cite news|url=https://people.com/hunter-biden-plea-tax-trial-8706980|title=Hunter Biden Pleads Guilty to Tax Charges at the Last Minute, Aiming to Avoid Another Trial and Accept Sentence|first=Raven|last=Brunner|publisher=People|date=September 5, 2024|accessdate=September 5, 2024}}</ref><ref name=alfordoffer /> Later in the day, it was reported that this plea offer would not be accepted by the prosecution.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/legal/hunter-biden-intends-plead-guilty-federal-tax-case-nbc-news-reports-2024-09-05/|title=US prosecutors oppose Hunter Biden plea offer in tax case|first=Jackie|last=Luna|publisher=Reuters|date=September 5, 2024|accessdate=September 5, 2024}}</ref> Judge Scarsi would neither accept the plea offer ornor call off the trial, but also did not make a final ruling and would opt to make a decision about the plea offer at a later date.<ref name=proposedpleaoffer /><ref name=decisiondiscussion /><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/05/politics/hunter-biden-case/index.html|title=Judge punts ruling on Hunter Biden’s offer to change plea in tax case to later date|first1=Paula|last1=Reid|first2=Marshall|last2=Cohen|first3=Evan|last3=Perez|first4=Casey|last4=Gannon|publisher=CNN|date=September 5, 2024|accessdate=September 5, 2024}}</ref>