Hunter Biden's criminal trial on federal gun charges begins with jury selection

Hunter Biden’s criminal trial will begin with jury selection Monday morning in Delaware. The trial stems from federal gun charges brought against him by special counsel David Weiss.

Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to federal gun charges in U.S. District Court for Delaware after Weiss charged him with making a false statement in the purchase of a firearm; making a false statement related to information required to be kept by a licensed firearm dealer; and one count of possession of a firearm by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.

With all counts combined, the total maximum prison time for the charges could be up to 25 years. Each count carries a maximum fine of $250,000 and three years of supervised release.

The trial begins nearly a year after presiding Judge Maryellen Noreika questioned a plea deal between prosecutors and Hunter Biden, which subsequently fell apart.

JUDGE BARS PROSECUTORS FROM USING SOME SALACIOUS EVIDENCE IN HUNTER BIDEN'S GUN TRIAL

The agreement, blasted as a "sweetheart" deal by congressional Republicans, appeared to convey broad immunity to the president's son on a host of potential criminal charges.

According to an indictment, Hunter Biden bought a Colt Cobra revolver Oct. 12, 2018, and "knowingly made a false and fictitious written statement, intended and likely to deceive that dealer with respect to a fact material to the lawfulness of the sale of the firearm … certifying he was not an unlawful user of, and addicted to, any stimulant, narcotic drug, and any other controlled substance, when in fact, as he knew, that statement was false and fictitious."

The indictment also charges Hunter Biden with possessing that gun, which was "shipped and transported in