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 of 6 men, 6 woman will hear openings Tuesday

A jury of six men and six women is scheduled to hear opening statements Tuesday in Hunter Biden's federal gun trial.

An additional four women were chosen as the alternate jurors.

The jurors include a Secret Service retiree, a man whose father was killed by a gun, and a number of jurors whose family and friends have suffered from addiction -- a central theme in the case against Hunter Biden.

Juror No. 1 is a woman who recently heard about Hunter Biden's case on the evening news. Said said her sister is also an addict, but is "currently clean."

Juror No. 2 is a woman who worked for the Secret Service for nearly 25 years and is now retired. Her husband was a uniformed officer in Washington, D.C.

Juror No. 3 is woman who gets her news from YouTube. When asked what she has heard about the case, she said that it involves guns and drugs.

Juror No. 4 is a woman who said she feels people who smoke weed "should not be allowed" to own a gun, but said she could set that aside.

Juror No. 5 is a currently unemployed man who previously received a DUI for which he pleaded guilty.

Juror No. 6 is a man who said he previously knew about the case. He currently owns three pistols and said, "I believe the Second Amendment is very important."

Juror No. 7 is a man whose father owned a firearm. He said he knows "some" gun laws.

Juror No. 8 is a man whose father was killed by a gun in 2004. He has a brother who was arrested for drug possession and was sentenced to prison.

Juror No. 9 is a woman whose home was burglarized years ago. She purchased a gun and has had it for over 20 years.

Juror No. 10 is a man whose brother and brother-in-law both suffered from alcoholism and are now both deceased. His niece and nephew both own guns.

Juror No. 11 is a woman whose family hunts and has hunting rifles. She said her "childhood best friend" passed away from a drug overdose.

Juror No. 12 is a man whose older brother is an addict who has been to rehab multiple times for PCP and heroin. He said the brother had a gun but he was not sure when.