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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'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.
Jury hears ex-girlfriend's recollections of trips, drug dealers
Jurors listened attentively to the testimony of Hunter Biden's ex-girlfriend Zoe Kestan, turning their chairs to face her as she recounted their monthslong relationship in 2017-2018 during his addiction.
Under questioning, she spoke of multiple-night hotel stays, trips to Atlantic City, and memories of night clubs, dinners, and drug dealers.
Evidence displayed by prosecutors during her testimony included highly personal photos she had taken during their relationship, including a photo of her and Hunter Biden in a bathtub together in California, with a crack pipe in his hand.
As Kestan testified, Hunter's current wife Melissa sat in the front row of the gallery, barely moving or reacting.
Sitting at the defense table, Hunter Biden at times rubbed his face or covered his mouth as Kestan recounted their time together and photos flashed across the screen in the courtroom.
"I felt a connection with him," Kestan told the jury.