First Lady Jill Biden narrowly missed hearing her stepson Hunter Biden's guilty verdict in person, arriving at the courthouse a mere 10 minutes after the jury had announced their decision.
Jill Biden made it to the courthouse just moments after the jury had delivered its verdict and wasn't present in the courtroom when it was read out. Despite her busy schedule as First Lady, which recently included accompanying President Joe Biden on a state visit to France, she has been consistently making the journey to the Delaware courthouse throughout her son's federal gun trial.
She even took time out from D-Day commemorations in Normandy, France, to be there for Hunter in court. Hunter, aged 54, was found guilty on all three felony charges related to his purchase of a revolver back in 2018.
READ MORE: Joe Biden hugs son Hunter in first reunion following criminal conviction
Following the conviction, Biden was seen hugging his son Hunter Biden upon arrival at Delaware Air National Guard Base in New Castle, Delaware, as he travelled to Wilmington. Biden was also seen kissing his grandson Beau as Beau's parents Hunter and Hunter's wife Melissa Cohen Biden looked on.
Biden said that he was standing by his son, and is proud of him after he was convicted to three felonies related to a gun purchase in 2018. He said: "As I said last week, I am the President, but I am also a Dad. Jill and I love our son, and we are proud of the man he is today.
"So many families who have had loved ones battle addiction understand the feeling of pride seeing someone you love come out the other side and be so strong and resilient in recovery. As I said last week, I will accept the outcome of this case and will continue to respect the judicial process as Hunter considers an appeal."
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Prosecutors argued that he lied on a mandatory gun-purchase form by stating he was not illegally using or addicted to drugs. The jury in Wilmington, Delaware, deliberated for roughly three hours over the course of two days. They found Hunter guilty of lying to a federally licensed gun dealer, falsely claiming on the application that he was not a drug user and illegally possessing the gun for 11 days.
Hunter remained stoic and showed minimal emotion as the verdict was announced. Following the verdict, he embraced his lawyers and managed a weak smile. He shared a kiss with his wife, Melissa, before they exited the courtroom together. He could be looking at a maximum of 25 years behind bars when Judge Maryellen Noreika delivers his sentence.
The judge, who was nominated to the bench by former Republican President Donald Trump, didn’t immediately set a date for sentencing. In the federal system, first-time offenders don’t get anywhere near the maximum sentence.
Federal sentencing guidelines — which judges use as they weigh punishments for defendants — are expected to recommend a far lighter punishment. And judges aren’t bound by the guidelines, so she could decide not to send him to prison at all. Other options include probation or home detention.