Jurors have begun deliberations in the federal gun trial of Hunter Biden, the president’s son who has been charged with three felonies stemming from his purchase of a revolver in October. 2018.
Hunter Biden’s lawyers did not call him to the stand after saying Friday that they were deciding whether they would call him to testify.
The defense rested Monday morning after FBI Special Agent Erika Jensen was called back to the stand for Review the text messages that have been entered last week. During this, the defense pointed out that the location data would not be definitive and that there were gaps where there was no data available, and also pointed out other alleged gaps in the story of Hunter Biden’s actions at that time.
Biden Hunter’s lawyers called several witnesses Friday, including his daughter Naomi Bidenbut it took the weekend to decide whether to call her to testify in his own defense.
Late Monday morning, the judge instructed the jury. The prosecution’s closing argument lasted an hour shortly after noon before the defense began its argument.
The Biden family continued to support Hunter in court Monday, along with first lady Jill Biden, his daughter Ashley Biden, the first lady’s sister, the presidents’ siblings Valerie and Jimmy Biden, and Hunter Biden’s wife Melissa Cohen Biden all sitting side by side. in the first row. President Biden did not attend the trial but was in Wilmington Monday morning.
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Hunter Biden is charged with three felonies stemming from his purchase of a revolver in October 2018. Two of the charges relate to accusations that he made false statements on a federal firearms form about his use of drug, certifying that he was not a user or addict. to any controlled substance at a time when prosecutors allege he was addicted to crack cocaine.
The other charge involves alleged illegal possession of the weapon, possessing the weapon for 11 days before Hallie Biden found it and threw it away. Biden Hunter has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The prosecution’s case last week included testimony from Hunter Biden’s ex-wife Kathleen Buhle, his ex-girlfriend Zoe Kestan and Hallie Biden, the widow of his brother Beau Biden and with whom Hunter Biden also had a romantic relationship after the death of his brother in 2015. who allegedly sold the gun to Hunter Biden, Gordon Cleveland, also tested.
Hallie Biden, considered the prosecution’s star witness, tested last week that she “panicked” when she found the gun and “just wanted to get rid of” the gun and the bullets.
“I didn’t want him to get hurt or the kids to find him and get hurt,” she said, adding that she considered hiding the gun but was “afraid one of my children find it.
Hallie Biden said Hunter introduced her to crack cocaine after her husband’s death. “It was a terrible experience that I went through and I am embarrassed and ashamed by it, and I regret this period of my life,” she testified.
At the heart of the accusation is the question of whether Hunter Biden knowingly lied about his drug use. Prosecutor Derek Hines noted in his opening statement that “addiction may not be a choice, but lying and buying a gun is a choice.”
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Cleveland verified that Hunter Biden did not appear confused by the form when he sold him the gun in October. 2018.
Hallie Biden tested Hunter Biden for drug use in October. In 2018, when he bought the gun, prosecutors showed texts saying he was “sleeping in a car smoking crack.” But Naomi Biden testified that her father “looked great” in late October. 2018 and she didn’t spot any drug paraphernalia when she borrowed his truck.
While Hunter Biden’s history of substance abuse is well known — he discussed it in his memoir, “Beautiful Things” — Hunter Biden’s attorney, Lowell, sought to question whether he knowingly omitted information from the form of disclosure. In his opening statement, Lowell said many addicts are “in denial” about their drug use, and he also argued that Hunter Biden did not consider himself an addict when he purchased the gun.
Naomi Biden testified that she knew her father “suffered from addiction,” saying “after my uncle (Beau Biden) died, things got bad.” But she said he never used illegal drugs in front of her and she appreciated that she never observed what her father looked like when he was using drugs.
While President Biden did not attend the trial, other members of the Biden family were present. First lady Jill Biden has been there almost every day, except when she was in France with President Biden to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Ashley Biden, the Bidens’ daughter and Hunter Biden’s half-sister, also went to court, although she became emotional and left one day.