Hunter Biden gun case conviction mourned as 'tragedy' in media: 'It's a sad verdict'

Members of the media lamented the "tragedy" of the Hunter Biden verdict on Tuesday after he was found guilty on all counts by a Delaware jury. 

MSNBC legal correspondent Lisa Rubin said the verdict wasn't a surprise, but added, "there’s something unbelievably tragic about the entire trajectory of the case." 

Hunter Biden was found guilty of making a false statement in the purchase of a gun, making a false statement related to information required to be kept by a federally licensed gun dealer and possession of a gun by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.

Another MSNBC legal analyst, Katherine Christian, said the verdict was "sad" because it went to trial after the initial plea agreement fell apart. 

"He is a very sad figure, as are many people throughout this country, and he will now be, when he is sentenced, a convicted felon. There, in my humble opinion, is no need to incarcerate him," she said. "He should get the same diversion program. Once an addict, always an addict. I’m assuming he is in recovery, but it will help him."

"That’s the sad part is that he went to trial. It would have been a miracle if there was an acquittal," Christian continued. "It would have been the jury doing nullification, saying we are sympathetic to him, which you are not supposed to do. But some jurors do that. It’s not an unfair verdict. They followed the law. But it’s a sad verdict."

Members of the media lamented the "tragedy" of the Hunter Biden verdict on Tuesday after he was found guilty. (Screenshot/ABC | Screenshot/MSNBC | Screenshot/NBC; | Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

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ABC's Terry Moran suggested that the political consequences of the trial may be tempered by the fact that addiction has touched many American families. 

"It reminds us that for all of the major implications of the first conviction of the child of a president, this trial inside the courtroom, like virtually every criminal trial, was a personal story of personal tragedy, a family tragedy, and the guilty verdict that the jury has handed down on Hunter Biden were verdicts not just on his conduct under law, but on his collapse into drug addiction and the consequences of it," Moran said Tuesday. "So many American families understand that."

"Now the first family has gone through it as well," he continued. "The political consequences of it may be tempered by the fact that this is a scourge that has touched so many American families, even the president's."

CBS's Scott McFarlane lamented the "ugly family story" that was revealed throughout the trial. 

"The tragedy that impacted Hunter Biden that led to this criminal case and this criminal conviction is a type of tragedy shared by so many Americans," he said.

ABC's Jonathan Karl pointed to the effect on the president himself.

Jonathan Karl said the Hunter Biden verdict was a clear blow to President Biden. (ABC / Screenshot)

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"This is a clear blow to President Biden and one that is not simply a political or legal blow, but a deeply personal one," Karl said.

CBS' Major Garrett said Beau Biden's death in 2015 "precipitated" the "tragedy" of the verdict.

"Every presidential family is part of the American family. That’s the way it works. This is a tragedy for the Biden family precipitated in large measure by the death of Beau Biden, for eight years, the Attorney General of Delaware," Garrett said. "Not the favorite son, but the more prominent of the two sons."

"Hunter Biden’s problems began to spiral — that is a word that was used in addiction therapy with some frequency after Beau’s death — he simply could not grapple with it," Garrett continued. "He made a ton of terrible decisions, involving many members of the Biden family who had to find their way in, through and out of this trial. That family drama played out in a courtroom in ways we have never seen before. It doesn’t make it any less painful for the nation or for the family. But the verdict is now real, and the consequences will apply."

Kristen Holmes, a CNN correspondent, said she found it interesting former President Trump was not "sympathetic" to Hunter Biden. Trump, who doesn't drink or smoke, has discussed his older brother Fred's alcoholism that contributed to his death at age 42.

"Donald Trump has not seemed sympathetic at all about Hunter Biden‘s addiction issues," she said. "He himself has come from a family that had addiction issues and has talked openly about it."

"One of the things we‘ve talked about is how many Americans find this case to be sympathetic in some ways," Holmes said. "Donald Trump himself does not seem to be one of them."

Hunter Biden arrives to federal court with his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, Tuesday, June 11, 2024, in Wilmington, Delaware. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

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On MSNBC's "Deadline: White House," a rabidly pro-Biden program hosted by Nicolle Wallace, the show covered the news soberly.

"Today’s verdict marks the end of a painful chapter for the Biden family, with witness after witness detailing an incredibly troubled period in Hunter Biden's life," Wallace said.

NBC correspondent Mike Memoli recounted covering "the greatest of triumphs" for the Biden family over the years but also "some of the hardest times," mentioning Beau's death as an example.

"They’ve had to now relive some of the most difficult times in their family, dating back to 2015 through 2018 when this gun was purchased, in a very public way, in a way that may not have had to happen if Joe Biden had not run and been successful in winning the presidency," he said. "But now this is a family that will close ranks together."

President Biden released a statement expressing love and support that also noted his son's well-known struggles with addiction. 

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"As I said last week, I am the president, but I am also a dad. Jill and I love our son, and we are so proud of the man he is today," he said.

"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 also said last week, I will accept the outcome of this case and will continue to respect the judicial process as Hunter considers an appeal," the president added.

Fox News' Emma Colton and Brooke Singman contributed to this report.