Hunter Biden trial: 'Politics never came into play,' juror says after guilty verdict

In a late-day sidebar conference that occurred out of the earshot of jurors and reporters -- but whose contents were included in the court transcript released at the end of each day -- Judge Maryellen Noreika chastised Hunter Biden's attorney for his lengthy questioning of witnesses.

The exchange came after prosecutors took issue with the "consistently lengthy" cross-examinations being conducted by defense attorney Abbe Lowell.

"This is going on a little long," Judge Noreika told Lowell about his cross-examination of the Delaware state trooper who recovered Hunter Biden's gun from the man who found it in the trash.

"I got jurors over there nodding off," the judge said. "Do that at your peril -- but they are half sleeping."

In contrast to Lowell's long cross-examination, prosecutors spent just twenty minutes questioning the trooper on direct examination.

"The crosses have been consistently lengthy, two times our directs," prosecutor Derek Hines told the judge, arguing that some of Lowell's questions were "irrelevant."

The day's final witness was Ed Banner, the 80-year-old Navy veteran who recovered Hunter Biden's firearm from the trash receptacle outside a supermarket after Hunter Biden's then-girlfriend Hallie Biden had disposed of it there.

Banner described finding the firearm and other items as he was rummaging for recyclables that he would often drive to New York to return for money.

Defense attorney Abbe Lowell had previously suggested that cocaine residue discovered on a leather pouch that held the gun could have been tampered with between the time the firearm was discarded on Oct. 23, 2018, and when it was tested in a lab in late 2023.

"This may sound like an unusual question, but does anyone in your household use cocaine?" Derek Hines asked Banner.

"No," Banner said, appearing somewhat surprised by the question.

Banner also denied wrapping the firearm in a sock, as a Delaware state trooper suggested in earlier testimony.

"I don't know nothin' about no sock," Banner said.

Prosecutors said before court concluded that they have two witnesses left -- a DEA drug specialist and an FBI chemist -- and that they intend to rest their case on Friday morning.

Defense counsel said they would call two or three witnesses and would likely rest their case by the end of the day on Monday.

As Lowell previously suggested, he may call James Biden, the president's brother, and Naomi Biden, the president's eldest granddaughter.

He also said that no decision has yet been made on whether Hunter Biden will testify in his own defense.

Court then was recessed for the day.

Former Delaware State Police lieutenant Millard Greer testified that Hunter Biden's gun was placed in a sock by an elderly man who found the weapon in the trash outside a supermarket after Hallie Biden discarded it.

Greer said he reviewed surveillance footage, interviewed witnesses, and ultimately retrieved the weapon from Edward Banner, who was known to "rummage through trash."

When Greer approached Banner and asked him if someone left "something that didn't belong" in the trash outside the supermarket, Banner replied, "Oh yes, they did," Greer testified.

At Banner's home, he pulled out the firearm from a sock along with a leather pouch and other items, and handed them to Greer, the former trooper said.

On cross-examination, defense attorney Abbe Lowell pressed Greer about the chain of custody of the weapon, including questions about it being placed in an evidence locker.

Greer also testified that Hunter Biden chose not to press charges against Hallie Biden and Banner after the gun was retrieved.

Delaware state trooper Joshua Marley, testifying for the prosecution, described his role in investigating a report of a "stolen gun" on Oct. 23, 2018.

He said that at the time that he believed Hunter Biden "was the victim of the crime."

The gun turned out to have been discarded by Hallie Biden after she discovered it in her then-boyfriend Hunter Biden's car.

Marley spent only a short time on the stand before stepping down.

The government has four witnesses left before resting its case, meaning they will likely continue into Friday morning.