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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Jury reaches verdict

The jury in Hunter Biden's federal gun trial has reached a verdict after several hours of deliberation.

The parties are being summoned to the courtroom for the reading of the verdict on the three counts Hunter Biden faces.

The president's son faces two counts related to false statements in purchasing the firearm at the center of the case, and a third count of illegally obtaining a firearm while addicted to drugs.


Jury resumes deliberations

The jury has resumed its deliberations in Hunter Biden's federal gun trial.

Before sending them back to deliberate, Judge Maryellen Noreika asked jurors if they had discussed the case with anyone.

They all promised that they had not.


Hunter Biden arrives in court

Hunter Biden entered the Wilmington, Delaware, courthouse as jurors prepared to resume deliberations in his federal gun trial.

He was accompanied, as he has been each day of the trial, by his wife Melissa Cohen Biden.


Jury to resume deliberations

The 12 jury members who for the past week heard vivid and personal details about President Joe Biden's family are set to continue their deliberations this morning in the federal gun trial of his son, Hunter Biden.

In their closing arguments yesterday, prosecutors argued that Hunter Biden lied on a federal gun-purchase form when he said he was not a drug addict, telling jurors "if this evidence did not establish that Hunter Biden was a crack addict and an unlawful user, then no one is a crack addict or an unlawful user."

But defense attorney Abbe Lowell urged the jury to acquit his client, telling them, "We have had Hunter's life in our hands. And now we have to give it to you."

If convicted, Hunter Biden could face up to 25 years in prison -- though legal experts believe he would not serve time due to his being a first-time, nonviolent offender.

Deliberations are scheduled to resume today at 9 a.m. ET.


Hallie Biden concedes 'it's difficult to recall' details from 2018

Under cross-examination from defense attorney Abbe Lowell, Hunter Biden's former girlfriend Hallie Biden said some of her memories of their interactions from the time of the gun purchase are vague.

Lowell began his questioning by saying he understood that it was a "fairly upsetting" period and that "being here is no picnic either."

Hallie Biden conceded that "it's difficult to recall" exactly where Hunter was at specific moments or whether he was where he suggested he was, at one point saying that "it's all kind of vague."

"Reconstructing this is not easy?" Lowell asked her.

"Correct," she replied.

Hallie Biden, the widow of Hunter Biden's late brother Beau Biden, testified that the "remnants" of crack she found in Hunter Biden's car on Oct. 23, 2018 -- the day she discovered then discarded the firearm -- could have been from weeks or months earlier.

"You didn't see him doing drugs or alcohol" the day you discarded the gun, Lowell inquired.

"Correct," she said.

At one point Lowell's cross-examination descended into a bit of chaos as both Lowell and Hallie Biden struggled to follow the proper protocols to get her text messages admitted into evidence.

"So far so good," Abbe said at one point.

"Well, no," prosecutor Leo Wise objected.

Jurors rubbed their eyes and gazed around as the back-and-forth continued, with the courtroom bursting into laughter on several occasions. At one point, Hallie Biden appeared to look over at her fiancé sitting in gallery, shrugging her shoulders and appearing to mouth the words "I don't know."

Court was subsequently recessed for lunch.