The trial of Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, is set to begin on Monday, with the federal prosecutors pursuing three felony gun charges against him. Prosecutors argue that the case is a straightforward one, and the facts presented in the charging documents back their claim.

According to the special counsel David Weiss' office, Hunter Biden knowingly lied on a federal form in October 2018 to obtain a firearm, falsely representing his drug use. He faces two counts related to false statements in purchasing the firearm and a third count of illegally obtaining a firearm while addicted to drugs.

However, Hunter Biden's legal team, led by defense attorney Abbe Lowell, intends to challenge the prosecution's narrative. At a recent pretrial hearing, Lowell hinted that the firearm form at the center of the case was more complex than initially portrayed by the special counsel. While the defense strategy remains somewhat unclear, Lowell has signaled that it will depend on how prosecutors present their case at trial.

A crucial point of contention highlighted by Lowell revolves around the existence of two copies of the federal gun form, known as an ATF Form 4473. The original document, created by a shop employee at the time of Biden's firearm purchase, listed his passport as the presented identification. However, years later, a copy was made with additional handwritten annotations to rectify the requirement of address proof for gun buyers.

Lowell contends that the gun store employees tampered with the original document, raising questions about its reliability and creating uncertainty about who wrote what on the form and when. The special counsel's office took Lowell's argument seriously enough to re-interview the gun store owner, Ronald Palimere, who admitted feeling pressured due to the intense attention on the incident.

If successful, Lowell's strategy could undermine the credibility of key government witnesses, including the gun store employees, and cast doubt on whether Hunter Biden himself checked the pertinent box on the form. At least two employees, including Palimere, are expected to testify during the trial.

Moreover, Lowell may argue that Hunter Biden's understanding of the form's language played a role in his answers. The defense contends that the terms "user" or "addict" were not defined on the form and were not adequately explained to Biden at the time. They claim that someone with Biden's recent completion of a rehabilitation program might have considered themselves not a present tense user or addict.

Lowell has also raised concerns about the chain of custody surrounding a leather pouch that supposedly contained the revolver Biden purchased. Court documents revealed that the pouch had cocaine residue on it, leading Lowell to question any potential tampering during the five years it was in police custody before being tested.

The defense plans to call a chemical residue expert as a witness to address this issue. Meanwhile, prosecutors are expected to present incriminating evidence, including excerpts from Hunter Biden's 2021 memoir and text messages referring to drug use, suggesting that he was indeed a drug user at the time of the firearm purchase.

Prosecutors may call up to 12 witnesses, including Hallie Biden, Hunter's ex-wife, Kathleen Buhle, and others, to support their case. Ultimately, the jury's decision will determine whether Hunter Biden will face a prison sentence or be acquitted of the felony charges.

As the trial proceeds, all eyes will be on the courtroom as Hunter Biden's fate hangs in the balance, and the defense and prosecution present their arguments and evidence to the jury.