{"id":2337284,"date":"2024-09-05T14:13:02","date_gmt":"2024-09-05T18:13:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hunter-biden-surprises-prosecutor-by-suddenly-changing-plea-just-before-trial-begins\/"},"modified":"2024-09-05T14:16:04","modified_gmt":"2024-09-05T18:16:04","slug":"hunter-biden-surprises-prosecutor-by-suddenly-changing-plea-just-before-trial-begins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hunter-biden-surprises-prosecutor-by-suddenly-changing-plea-just-before-trial-begins\/","title":{"rendered":"Hunter Biden Surprises Prosecutor by Suddenly Changing Plea Just Before Trial Begins"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fhunter-biden-surprises-prosecutor-by-suddenly-changing-plea-just-before-trial-begins%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2337284&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Hunter\u2063 Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, is facing a potential change in plea regarding his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hunter-biden-sentencing-set-for-november-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Hunter Biden sentencing set for November - Washington Examiner\">federal tax evasion trial<\/a>. His \u200battorney,\u2064 Abbe Lowell, announced in \u2063court that Biden plans\u2062 to enter an Alford \u200bplea, which allows him to accept a guilty \u200dplea\u2063 and the \u2062corresponding punishment while maintaining his innocence. As jury selection was set to begin, \u200bthis \u2063revelation came as a surprise to federal \u2062prosecutors. \u200cHunter Biden is \u200dcurrently \u200ccharged with \u2063three felony and six misdemeanor counts. He had previously been involved in a \u2062plea deal that fell apart last\u200b year, and he was convicted on separate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doj-clears-hunter-biden-prosecutor-for-testimony-in-near-term\/\" title=\"DOJ approves Hunter Biden prosecutor&#039;s testimony soon.\">federal gun charges earlier<\/a> this year.<\/p>\n<p>The presiding judge, \u2062Mark C. Scarsi, recessed the court to \u200callow prosecutors\u200d time to respond to this unexpected plea change. Under federal rules, acceptance of Alford pleas is uncommon and requires discussion \u2063at \u200bthe \u2062highest levels of the Justice Department. The implications of avoiding\u2064 a trial would mean that various \u200dallegations against Biden,\u200b particularly \u2062regarding\u200c his financial dealings with foreign entities, would\u200c not\u2063 be publicly addressed.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<section> <script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>A public airing of Hunter Biden&rsquo;s activities could be short-circuited now that President Joe Biden&rsquo;s son has indicated he will change the not guilty plea he has entered in his federal tax evasion trial.<\/p>\n<p>Attorney Abbe Lowell dropped the bombshell in court on Thursday as jury selection was about to begin, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/joe-biden\/hunter-biden-intends-plead-guilty-federal-tax-charges-rcna169621\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NBC<\/a>. Hunter Biden faces three felony and six misdemeanor counts<\/p>\n<p>Lowell said <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/federal-judge-shuts-hunter-bidens-desperate-attempt-escape-charges\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hunter Biden<\/a> is seeking to file what&rsquo;s called an Alford plea in which a defendant enters a guilty plea, accepts punishment, but maintains innocence.<\/p>\n<p>Lowell said, &ldquo;The court is required to accept the plea,&rdquo; claiming the matter &ldquo;can be resolved&rdquo; Thursday.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#BREAKING<\/a>: Hunter Biden will offer to the Los Angeles judge in his tax case what&rsquo;s called an Alford plea, meaning he&rsquo;ll accept whatever sentence comes down while maintaining his innocence. CNN notes this is NOT a guilty plea.<\/p>\n<p>In other words, it&rsquo;s only an admission he wouldn&rsquo;t be&hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/3eyaJiV2nQ\">pic.twitter.com\/3eyaJiV2nQ<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CurtisHouck\/status\/1831724969744646169?\">September 5, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>  <script> \t\t\t\tif( ! getCookie( 'ff_subbed' ) ) if( typeof FFADS.replace_ict !='undefined' ) if( FFADS.replace_ict ) eval( FFADS.replace_ict ); \t\t\t<\/script> <\/p>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Hunter Biden and his attorneys met with U.S. District Judge Mark C. Scarsi, who is presiding over the case, prior to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/hunter-biden-sues-fox-news-miniseries-fox-fires-back\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">opening of court<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This is the first we&rsquo;ve heard of this,&rdquo; federal prosecutor Leo Wise said, indicating the change is not due to a deal being cut.<\/p>\n<p>Last year, a plea deal was developed to resolve the tax and gun charges against Hunter Biden, but the deal fell apart.<\/p>\n<p>Hunter Biden was convicted on federal gun charges earlier this year.<\/p>\n<p>Scarsi, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump, recessed the court to give prosecutors a chance to respond, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/09\/05\/us\/politics\/hunter-biden-tax-trial.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The New York Times<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>A report in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/national-security\/2024\/09\/05\/hunter-biden-alford-guilty-plea-taxes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Washington Post<\/a> said that under federal rules, U.S. attorneys can only agree to Alford pleas &ldquo;in the most unusual of circumstances&rdquo; and that top Justice Department officials must be involved in a discussion of accepting those pleas.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2024\/09\/05\/politics\/hunter-biden-case\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CNN<\/a> reported that in response to a prosecution request for more time to respond, Scarsi said the need to empanel a jury was driving the timeline.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I would normally give you the opportunity to brief it, but the issue is, we have 120 jurors that we want to hang on to if we need them,&rdquo; he said.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/hunter-biden-intends-plead-guilty-federal-tax-charges-brought-special-counsel-david-weiss\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fox News<\/a> reported that the federal team of attorneys is not currently in talks with Hunter Biden&rsquo;s legal team over the change in pleas.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">&#128680; <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#BREAKING<\/a>: Hunter Biden will be pleading GUILTY to federal tax crimes today, including multiple felonies<\/p>\n<p>He faces up to 17 years in prison.<\/p>\n<p>BUT he knows daddy will pardon him on his way out the door, so what&rsquo;s it matter? &#128580; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/XJLihyWc3X\">pic.twitter.com\/XJLihyWc3X<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/nicksortor\/status\/1831722776631374251?\">September 5, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/jack-smiths-team-admits-they-tampered-with-key-evidence-in-trumps-case-misled-the-court-about-it\/\" title=\"Jack Smith&#039;s Team Confesses to Tampering with Vital Evidence in Trump&#039;s Case, Misleading the Court\">recent court filing related<\/a> to the case said that Hunter Biden <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/hunter-bidens-new-white-house-involvement-causes-staffers-ask-h-happening-report\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">secured millions<\/a> working for firms in China and Ukraine, as well as a Romanian businessman, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2024\/08\/07\/us-news\/hunter-biden-prodded-us-officials-to-help-crooked-client-but-wont-face-fara-counts-at-tax-trial\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">New York Post<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Avoiding the trial would mean those issues are not addressed in court, nor are the details of how during the years Hunter Biden is accused of not paying taxes, he spent money on drugs and prostitutes.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\">  <\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> <label>* Name<\/label> <br \/> <input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> <\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> <label>* <\/label> <br \/> <input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> <\/div>\n<p> <label>* Message<\/label> <br \/> <textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea>  <\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> <input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\">  <\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey==typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts={ \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs=[ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i=0; i <inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! ( opts[inputs[i]]=document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"' + inputs[i] + '\"]' ).value ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .required-message' ).style.display='block'; \t\t\t\t\t\treturn; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction input[type=\"submit\"]' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).src=firefly_loading_gif_url; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='inline-block';  \t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( 'ma subbing' );  \t\t\t\t\tif( firefly_post_id ) opts['post_id']=firefly_post_id;  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Send the data using post with element id name and name2*\/ \t\t\t\t\tvar posting=jQuery.post( firefly_ajax_url, opts );  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Alerts the results *\/ \t\t\t\t\tposting.done( function( response ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif( response.success ) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( response.data ); \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-confirm' ).style.display='block';  \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdataLayer.push( { 'event': 'submit-correction' } ); \t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script>  <\/div>\n<p>   <script>console.log(\"ad slot (BA1)\")<\/script> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\">  <\/div>\n<style> \t\t\t \t\t\t.insticator-unit.type-commenting{margin: 0 10px 25px 10px}@media screen and (max-width:1060px){#div-insticator-ad-cmt-1, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-2, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-3, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-4{margin: 0 auto 25px auto !important;}}#div-insticator-ad-cmt-1, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-2, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-3, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-4{height: 280px !important; width: 336px !important} \t\t<\/style>\n<div class=\"insticator-unit type-commenting\">\n<div class=\"insticator-ads\">   <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\t\t\tif ( ! getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-1\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-2\"); \t\t\t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-1\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-2\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t<\/script> <\/div>\n<div class=\"insticator-ads additional\">   <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\t\t\tif ( ! getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-3\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-4\"); \t\t\t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-3\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-4\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t<\/script> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A public examination of Hunter Biden&#8217;s actions may be curtailed as he has signaled a change to his not guilty plea in his federal tax evasion case. Attorney Abbe Lowell revealed this surprising development in court on Thursday, just before jury selection was set to start, as reported by NBC. Hunter Biden is facing three felony and six misdemeanor charges. Lowell stated that Biden intends to enter an Alford plea, which allows a defendant to plead guilty while maintaining their innocence and accepting the consequences. He mentioned that the court must accept this plea and suggested that the matter could be resolved on Thursday.<\/p>\n<p>CNN clarified that this is not a traditional guilty plea; rather, it indicates an acknowledgment of potential sentencing without admitting guilt. Prior to the court session, Hunter Biden and his legal team met with U.S. District Judge Mark C. Scarsi overseeing the case. Federal prosecutor Leo Wise expressed surprise at this new development, indicating it was not part of any negotiated deal since a previous agreement regarding tax and gun charges had collapsed last year.<\/p>\n<p>Earlier this year, Hunter Biden was convicted on federal gun charges. Judge Scarsi paused proceedings to allow prosecutors time to respond; however, he emphasized the urgency due to jury selection needs. Reports suggest that discussions about accepting Alford pleas typically involve high-level Justice Department officials under rare circumstances.<\/p>\n<p>In response to requests for additional time from prosecutors, Scarsi noted the importance of retaining jurors for potential use in trial proceedings. Currently, there are no ongoing negotiations between federal attorneys and Hunter Biden&#8217;s legal team regarding this change in pleas.<\/p>\n<p>Recent filings indicate that Hunter Biden earned millions from work with firms in China and Ukraine as well as with a Romanian businessman\u2014issues likely avoided if he pleads out instead of going through trial\u2014alongside allegations concerning his spending habits during periods when he allegedly failed to pay taxes<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2337285,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Hunter-Biden.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[32528,33211,40201],"class_list":["post-2337284","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-hunter-biden","tag-legal-news","tag-plea-change"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Hunter-Biden.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2337284","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2337284"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2337284\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2337285"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2337284"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2337284"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2337284"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}