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.
Hunter Biden 'knew he was using drugs,' prosecutor argues
Prosecutor Leo Wise, continuing his closing argument, laid out his case for conviction by telling jurors that the evidence in the case was "ugly" but "necessary" to establish Hunter Biden's drug use during the time in question -- as well as in the months before and after.
"He knew he was using drugs," Wise told the jury, a reference to the standard the jury must reach for conviction -- that Hunter Biden had to "knowingly" lie on the gun-purchase form on which he said he was not addicted to drugs.
"That's what the evidence shows," Wise said.
Wise emphasized repeatedly to the jury that the government is not required to show specifically that Hunter used drugs when he owned the gun from the Oct. 12-23, 2018 -- but rather they must "establish that pattern."
To that end, Wise referenced the text messages spanning back to 2015 in which Hunter Biden appeared to purchase drugs or reference his addiction, as well as the testimony from his ex-wife Kathleen Buhle and ex-girlfriend Hallie Biden, who said they either found his drug paraphernalia, saw him use drugs, or talked to him about it.
Wise also pointed to the testimony of ex-girlfriend Zoe Kestan, who testified she saw Hunter Biden using drugs in late September 2018 -- just two weeks before he bought the gun.
"You can convict on that alone," Wise told the jury.
Wise also referenced Hunter Biden's memoir, "Beautiful Things," saying it was a "searingly painful" but "honest" description of himself and his addiction.
The evidence showed Hunter Biden "habitually used," Wise said.