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 told not to judge Hunter Biden for not testifying
Judge Maryellen Noreika, in her initial instructions to jurors, explained how they are to apply the law to the facts of the case for the three criminal counts Hunter Biden faces.
"You must not attach any significance to the fact that the defendant did not testify," she read aloud in the courtroom, after the defense decided not to call Hunter Biden to the stand.
The judge defined "knowingly," the central term by which jurors must determine if Hunter Biden bought the gun at the center of the case "knowing" he was an addict or user of drugs, after he stated on the gun-purchase form that he was not.
Closing arguments are scheduled to begin at 12:05 p.m. ET, after which the judge will give the jury her final instructions and their deliberations will begin.
Closing arguments up next after Hunter Biden does not testify
Closing arguments will begin at about noon ET after Hunter Biden chose not to testify in his federal gun case.
The defense rested without him taking the stand, after which prosecutors presented a brief rebuttal case, then the judge gave the jury their initial instructions.
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.
Hunter Biden's daughter, uncle are in court
As Hunter Biden's defense case gets underway, two more members of the Biden family have entered the courthouse: Naomi Biden and James Biden.
Naomi Biden is the daughter of Hunter Biden and granddaughter of President Joe Biden.
James Biden is Hunter Biden's uncle and President Biden's brother, who Hunter's attorney told the jury during opening statements paid for some of Hunter Biden's rehab and lived with him briefly afterward.
Defense attorney Abbe Lowell previously suggested both James Biden and and Naomi Biden could take the stand for the defense.