Hunter Biden gun trial: 'Politics never came into play,' juror says after guilty verdict
The president's son was convicted of unlawfully purchasing a firearm.
President Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden has been found guilty on three felony counts related to his purchase of a firearm in 2018 while allegedly addicted to drugs.
The younger Biden, who pleaded not guilty last October after being indicted by special counsel David Weiss, denied the charges. The son of a sitting president had never before faced a criminal trial.
The trial came on the heels of former President Donald Trump's conviction on felony charges related to a hush money payment made to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.
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Judge reads initial jury instructions
Following the prosecution's rebuttal case, the judge read the jury their initial instructions.
Court is then expected to break for lunch, with closing arguments currently scheduled for the afternoon.
The judge will then give the jury their final instructions before they begin deliberations.
Prosecutors rest rebuttal case
The government rested its rebuttal case after a brief cross-examination of FBI special agent Erika Jensen, who testified about location and text message data relevant to the case.
Attorneys then gathered for another sidebar conference.
FBI witness returns to witness stand
After a lengthy sidebar, overflow room cameras suddenly turned on to show prosecutors questioning a previous witness, FBI agent Erika Jensen, suggesting that the defense has rested its case and prosecutors are introducing a rebuttal case before the trial moves on to closing arguments.
If so, that would indicate that Hunter Biden did not testify in his own defense.
Judge reviews motions regarding jury instructions
This morning's proceedings are underway.
Judge Maryellen Noreika began by reviewing with both parties motions by the defense to change proposed jury instructions.
The jury is expected to be brought back into court at 9 a.m. ET.
Evidence supports 'only one verdict' prosecutor tells jury
Prosecutor Leo Wise used witness testimony and Hunter Biden's own words from his memoir and text messages to argue that the president's son "knew exactly what he was doing" when prosecutors say he falsely claimed he was not addicted to drugs in order to purchase a Colt handgun in 2018.
"Take the defendant's word for it," Wise said as he showed the jury excerpts from Hunter Biden's book that described his drug use and addiction.
Wise, showing the jurors a side-by-side comparison of testimony regarding his truck from his daughter Naomi Biden and then-girlfriend Hallie Biden, said their testimony is "circumstantial evidence " that shows "the defendant used crack in the truck" days after purchasing the firearm.
Naomi Biden testified that she returned the truck to her father "clean" on Oct. 19, 2018, and Hallie Biden testified that a few days later she found Hunter Biden's gun in the vehicle along with drug paraphernalia and drug remnants.
Wise also showed the jury a calendar of the month of October 2018 that showed the cash withdrawals made by Hunter Biden. "None of the cash was for rehab," Wise said.
The evidence, Wise told jurors in conclusion, "supports only one verdict."
Hunter Biden's attorney Abbe Lowell then began his closing arguments.