Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, will plead not guilty during his initial court appearance on three federal felony gun charges, his attorney said Tuesday.
That lawyer, Abbe Lowell, revealed Biden’s intended plea as he asked a federal judge to hold that court appearance by video conference instead of in person.
Hunter Biden “will waive reading of the indictment, which is merely a few pages and could easily be read at a video conference,” Lowell wrote in a two-page letter to Judge Christopher Burke.
“Mr. Biden also will enter a plea of not guilty, and there is no reason why he cannot utter those two words by video conference,” Lowell wrote.
Biden, 53, was indicted last week on three criminal counts related to his possession of a firearm while being an unlawful drug user.
Biden, who has been open about his substance abuse struggles, is charged in two of the counts with lying about his illegal drug use in connection with his purchase of a Colt Cobra revolver. The third count charges him with possession of a firearm by a person who is an unlawful drug user.
Lowell also wrote in Tuesday’s letter that Biden in seeking the video hearing was “not seeking any special treatment.”
Rather, conducting the court hearing via video would “minimize an unnecessary burden ongovernment resources and the disruption to the courthouse and downtown areas” from Secret Service agents accompanying Biden to court, Lowell argued.
“Without getting into specifics, numerous agents and vehicles are required for what would have to be a two-day event (for a proceeding that may be very short in duration),” the attorney wrote.
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