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.


Hallie Biden details text messages following gun buy

Prosecutor Leo Wise read through text messages Hunter Biden's then-girlfriend Hallie Biden exchanged with him in the days following his gun purchase and on the day that she discovered and discarded it, asking her on the stand to provide context for their communications.

Within days of buying the gun, Hunter Biden texted her that he was about to meet a drug dealer named "Mookie." Hallie Biden testified that she thought that to mean "that he was buying crack cocaine."

In another message, Hunter Biden wrote that he was "buy" and then seconds later added "ing." Asked how she interpreted that message, Hallie Biden said, "I mean, I would guess but I didn't know for sure."

In the messages, Hallie Biden repeatedly expressed concern for him, at one point saying explicitly that she didn't want him to die. Wise asked her if she was worried that he would overdose on drugs.

She said "Yes," but added that she was also worried he might die by "suicide, I didn't know."

Wise then asked her to describe the messages the two exchanged on the morning she threw the gun away.

"It's hard to believe anyone is that stupid," Hunter Biden wrote to her.

"He was angry with me" for discarding his gun and putting him in legal jeopardy, Hallie Biden told jurors.

"I'm a liar and a thief and a blamer and a user and I'm delusional and an addict," Hunter Biden texted her.

She texted back, "Let's do this right," and suggested "working on sobriety" together.

Asked what she meant by "sobriety" -- alcohol or drugs or both -- Hallie Biden replied, "Well, if you're sober, it's all of the above."