WILMINGTON, Del. — The criminal trial of eldest son Hunter Biden began in earnest Tuesday with opening statements ahead of testimony from the case’s primary witness, an FBI special agent.
Jurors heard more than seven hours of testimony and opening statements Tuesday, during which Biden’s lawyers argued that Biden’s purchase of a Cobra Colt .38-caliber revolver in October 2018 was a rushed purchase by an employee at Wilmington gun store, StarQuest Shooters & Survival Supply, to make a sale. Lowell continued in his opening statement that the gun Biden bought was a “small-handle” that was never used during the 11 days Biden owned it.
“No one is above the law,” prosecutors argued, telling jurors they would present evidence at trial that Biden was a crack cocaine addict and lied on a federal firearms application to buy a gun.
Biden’s 2021 memoir, “Beautiful Things,” took center stage in court on Tuesday. Prosecutors played excerpts from the audiobook, narrated by Biden, in court. The excerpts detailed anecdotes about his connection to a female drug dealer nicknamed “Bicycles” who sold crack cocaine on the streets of Washington, D.C., how his addiction worsened so much that he began serving as a “crack daddy” for the dealers, and how he received cocaine from a stranger in a Monte Carlo hotel bathroom.
Hunter Biden’s wife slams ex-Trump aide, calling him a ‘son of a bitch’ during court appearance
Hunter Biden, accompanied by his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, leaves a federal courthouse in Wilmington, Delaware on June 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Luke)
The book excerpts contained obscene material, but jurors appeared to lose interest while the prosecution played the audiobook excerpts for about an hour. Jurors yawned and put their heads in their hands. Additionally, two jurors appeared to briefly close their eyes throughout the day as testimony continued.
Hunter Biden’s drug use: What the prosecution needs to prove and what we already know
The courtroom erupted in laughter when presiding Judge Maryellen Noreika told the court that the witness chair was fixed in place because a previous witness in an unrelated case had swayed back and forth and fallen off the stand. The judge, jury and media also laughed at the anecdote, with Judge Noreika adding, “It’s not that funny to witness.”
President Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, leaves the federal courthouse with his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, during the second day of his firearms-related criminal trial in Wilmington, Delaware, on June 4, 2024. (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)
Biden was joined by first lady Jill Biden, his sister Ashley Biden and his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden. During the break, Biden was magnetically drawn to his wife, holding hands, giving quick hugs and kisses.
Jill Biden took a seat in the front row of the courtroom for the second time since Monday, flanked by her daughter, Ashley, and daughter-in-law, Melissa. Ashley Biden was seen getting emotional throughout the trial, with Jill Biden having her arm around her shoulders.
Hunter Biden trial: 9 key people who may testify
The first lady kept her gaze almost exclusively on the judge and the legal team, except when family members or associates approached for quick conversation. At least twice, Jill Biden produced a small stack of paper, carefully folded in half, from her cream-colored clutch bag to read or take quick notes.
First Lady Jill Biden arrives at the federal courthouse in Wilmington, Delaware on June 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
The first lady left the courtroom after a lunch break. She remained in the courtroom while audiobook excerpts detailed topics such as the ability to buy crack cocaine in any city Biden visited.
Lowell sat with the first lady during a brief morning break, smiling as they chatted, while Jill Biden rarely glanced at reporters or others sitting behind her in the courtroom.
United States v. Hunter Biden: Jury seated, opening statements begin in eldest son’s federal firearms trial
Reports surfaced Tuesday that Melissa Cohen lashed out at former President Trump White House aide Garrett Ziegler, pointing at him and saying, “You have no right to be here, you Nazi scumbag.” Fox News Digital did not witness the tense exchange.
Ziegler later confirmed the encounter, telling NBC News, “It’s unfortunate that I’ve been sitting here this whole time and never approached anybody.”
Ziegler is Marco Polo non-profit organization Then last year, he was sued by Biden for disclosing the contents of his infamous laptop.
Hunter Biden (left) arrives with his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, at the federal courthouse in Wilmington, Delaware, on June 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Prosecutors in the case alleged that Biden went to StarQuest Shooters & Survival Supply in October 2018 and purchased a Colt revolver. He lied about his drug addiction Biden filled out a federal application to buy a gun. When asked if he was a criminal gun user or addicted to controlled substances, he checked “no.”
He faces charges of making false statements regarding the purchase of a firearm, making false statements regarding information required to be kept by a federally licensed firearms dealer and possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of or addict to a controlled substance.
Hunter Biden’s federal gun crime trial begins with jury selection
Biden has pleaded not guilty in the case.
The three charges carry a combined maximum prison sentence of 25 years. Each charge carries a maximum fine of $250,000 and three years probation.
Ashley Biden arrives at the federal courthouse on the second day of Hunter Biden’s firearms crimes trial in Wilmington, Delaware, June 4, 2024. (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)
The trial will continue Wednesday with cross-examination of FBI Special Agent Erica Jensen, who testified about dozens of text messages, metadata, photos and short videos found on Biden’s phone and iCloud account.
The defense appears to be arguing that Biden had just flown from California to the East Coast at the time of his 2018 gun purchase, which is inconsistent with Biden’s documented drug-addicted behavior. In his book, Biden recounts how, during his drug-addicted years, he once missed a flight because he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to smoke crack on the plane.
In his opening statement, Lowell portrayed Biden’s purchase as being rushed by a gun store employee trying to make a sale. In addition to the gun, Biden also bought a box of ammunition, a speed loader and a BB gun, according to evidence presented on Tuesday.
The defense stressed to jurors that they were not alleging Biden was a drug addict, and Lowell said Biden started drinking alcohol as a teenager and turned to hard drugs as an adult, pointing to a traumatic childhood that included losing his mother and sister and severely injuring himself in a car accident in 1972. Rather, the defense argued, the issue was whether Biden believed he was addicted to drugs when he went into a gun store to buy a gun.
Meanwhile, prosecutors tried to prove to the jury that Biden was addicted before, during and after the purchases, presenting text message evidence, photos and videos, and that he lied on his federal firearms declaration.
Prosecutors presented a list of expected witnesses on Tuesday, including his ex-wife, Kathleen Buhl, his former girlfriend and sister-in-law, Hallie Biden, one of Biden’s former lovers, Zoe Kestan, gun store employee Gordon Cleveland and Edward Banner, who discovered the gun Biden purchased.
Click here to get the FOX News app
Buhle, who was married to Biden from 1993 to 2017, is likely to take the stand on Wednesday. The former couple have three daughters.
The trial is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Wednesday and end at 4:30 p.m.
