Enrique Latoison - author
Managing Partner and founder of Latoison Law, Enrique Latoison, Esq. represents a diverse portfolio of clientele, including individuals, families, businesses and working professionals, in all of their legal needs. You can find him on twitter and facebook or write to him at [email protected]. Mr. Latoison earned his Juris Doctorate degree from the James E. Beasley School of Law at Temple University, where he received awards in class excellence and accolades in distinguished class performance and outstanding trial advocacy.
NBC10 News Legal Analyst and Criminal Defense Attorney Enrique Latoison provides expert insights into the historic guilty verdict of Hunter Biden. This significant case marks the first time in American history that the child of a sitting President has been convicted of a federal crime. Below is a detailed transcript of the NBC10 News segment featuring Enrique Latoison, offering his professional perspective on the implications and next steps following the verdict.
Video Transcript:
NBC10 News starts now. 20 Minutes of Nonstop News begins with the guilty verdict for the President’s son. A jury in Delaware finds Hunter Biden guilty on all charges in his federal gun case.
No one in this country is above the law. Everyone must be accountable for their actions, even this defendant. However, Hunter Biden should be no more accountable than any other citizen convicted of this same conduct.
Thank you for joining us this afternoon. I’m Jacquelyn London. And I’m Rosemary Conners. For the first time in American history, the child of a sitting President has been convicted of a federal crime. This follows a jury finding Hunter Biden guilty on all three counts tied to purchasing a gun in 2018. NBC10 Political reporter Lauren Mink was inside the courtroom when the verdict was read. She joins us live now from Wilmington. Lauren.
“Rosemary, we saw no emotion from Hunter Biden as the verdict was read today inside the courtroom. But afterward, he smiled and hugged his attorney, Abbe Lowell. He turned and kissed his wife, Melissa before they walked out of the courtroom. The first lady, who has been here for most of the days of this trial aside from a brief trip to France, was not in the courtroom when the verdict was read today. However, she was present as Hunter Biden walked out of the courthouse after hearing from the jury.”
Hunter Biden walked out of court today hand in hand with his wife and the first lady after a jury found him guilty on all three charges against him.
No one in this country is above the law.
Special Counsel David Weiss, speaking at his office just blocks from the courthouse after Hunter Biden was found guilty on two charges related to how he filled out a form that asked about drug use and addiction when he bought a gun, and one count of possessing that gun while addicted to or using drugs. Weiss said that while the case included much testimony about addiction, it was about more than that.
This case was about the illegal choices the defendant made while in the throes of addiction—his choice to lie on a government form when he bought a gun and the choice to then possess that gun.
Weiss thanked the attorney general for assuring his team’s independence. The president’s son, often a political talking point on the right, was a focal point today. Former President Trump’s campaign spokesperson called the trial a distraction, stating, ‘Crooked Joe Biden’s reign over the Biden family criminal empire is all coming to an end on November fifth.’ News of the verdict came late this morning after the jury had deliberated for about three hours over two days. What does that tell you?
“It says that the evidence against him was pretty overwhelming.”
I talked to NBC10 legal analyst, Enrique Latoison, about what happens next. Sentencing is expected to be months away.
“His prior history doesn’t exist, so that helps him a lot as far as guidelines go. It really comes down to what he has done in his life, in his background, and whether or not it warrants putting him in prison, and what happens to other people in this similar situation who haven’t been in trouble before.”
The President today released a statement after the verdict, saying in part, ‘Jill and I love our son, and we are so proud of the man he is today.’ He later added, ‘I will accept the outcome of this case and will continue to respect the judicial process as Hunter considers an appeal.’ Hunter Biden himself released a statement today saying, ‘I am more grateful today for the love and support I experienced this last week from Melissa, my family, my friends, and my community than I am disappointed by the outcome. Recovery is possible by the grace of God, and I am blessed to experience that gift one day at a time.’
There is also another trial on the horizon for Hunter Biden, related to tax charges. That is happening in September in California. You may remember there had been a potential agreement between prosecutors and the defense that fell apart here at this very courthouse behind me last year. That agreement would have avoided both the California trial and the one that ended with guilty verdicts here today. Live in Wilmington, I’m Lauren Make, NBC10 News.
But instead, all that testimony played out in court in Wilmington. All right, Lauren, thank you for that.