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.


0

'No one is above the law,' prosecutor says in opening

Opening statements got underway in Hunter Biden's gun trial after nearly an hour-long delay.

The jury was seated just before 10 a.m.

"No one is above the law," prosecutor Derek Hines said in his opening statement, addressing the jury from the lectern.

"It doesn't matter who you are or what your name is," Hines told them.


Judge says they 'lost' a juror overnight

Judge Maryellen Noreika took the bench this morning and announced they had "lost" one juror overnight after she "begged" to be released due to travel difficulties.

"We lost a juror overnight," Judge Noreika said, noting the juror explained she lives far away and does not have a car. Noreika did not specifically address how they would be moving forward, but there are four alternates who were seated yesterday as part of the jury.

Opening statements had still not gotten underway as of 9 a.m., as the court was still awaiting the arrival of four of the jurors.

Judge Noreika used the time to address a number of motions, including rejecting a motion from Hunter Biden's attorney Abbe Lowell seeking to exclude from evidence a number of photos of Hunter Biden.

The government said they needed a photo to prove Hunter Biden was in Malibu at a particular time, and the judge agreed to admit it.

First lady Jill Biden was back in her same front-row seat as yesterday, seated between Hunter Biden's wife Melissa and Jill Biden's daughter Ashley Biden.


Hunter Biden arrives at courthouse

Hunter Biden has arrived at the courthouse for Day 2 of his federal gun trial.

He was accompanied by wife, Melissa Cohen Biden.

His stepmother, first lady Jill Biden, and his half-sister Ashley Biden are also in attendance for the second day in a row.


Arguments to get underway this morning

Hunter Biden returns to court this morning for the start of arguments in his federal gun trial.

Attorneys with special counsel David Weiss' office and lawyers for Hunter Biden are both scheduled to deliver opening statements in the case.

Judge Maryellen Noreika yesterday swore in a jury of six men and six women, completing the jury selection process in a single day to put the trial two days ahead of schedule.


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.