According to reports, Hunter Biden’s attorney has suggested a plea deal whereby the president’s son would admit there is sufficient evidence to convict him in his tax case while still asserting his innocence.

As jury selection for Biden’s trial was about to begin, prosecutors are weighing this proposition presented by attorney Abbe Lowell during an open court session, as reported by CBS News. The proposed plea is an “Alford plea,” which allows someone to maintain their innocence even while acknowledging that prosecutors have a strong case against them.

Hunter Biden faces charges from a federal court in California, where he was indicted on three felony and six misdemeanor tax violations. Prosecutors allege that he failed to pay over $1.4 million in taxes and evaded others while indulging in an extravagant lifestyle.

The felony charges—including one for tax evasion and two for filing false returns—arise from allegations that he inaccurately reported his taxes for 2018. According to the claims, he falsely categorized payments to women he had relationships with as wages. He has entered a not guilty plea in the case.

If convicted, he could face up to 17 years in prison, although such a severe sentence is deemed unlikely even without a plea deal.

Federal guidelines stipulate that U.S. Attorneys generally cannot approve an Alford plea “except under unique circumstances,” and even then, it requires higher departmental approval.

How this applies to David Weiss, the special counsel appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate tax and gun matters regarding Hunter Biden, remains uncertain. As a special counsel, Weiss has greater autonomy than a standard prosecutor in the Justice Department.

Previously, Hunter Biden had agreed to plead guilty to two tax misdemeanors under a deal that could have allowed him to avoid prison time related to both tax and gun charges. However, this arrangement collapsed when he and the prosecution disagreed on protection from future charges, leading a judge to reject it swiftly.

In June, Weiss succeeded in convicting Hunter Biden on federal gun charges, which carry a maximum sentence of 25 years. Nonetheless, legal experts believe such a severe penalty is improbable in the upcoming sentencing on November 13 for a first-time, nonviolent offense. The charges included falsely stating his drug use on a federal form in order to buy a firearm.