On Monday morning, Hunter Biden’s defense team concluded its case in his gun trial without having Biden himself testify.
Over the course of the defense, three witnesses were called, including Biden’s eldest daughter, Naomi, who testified that her father appeared sober during the summer of 2018, shortly before he purchased the firearm in question.
Naomi mentioned that he seemed clearer than he had been in a long time and noted that she did not observe any drug paraphernalia in his vehicle during a visit to New York in late October 2018. However, prosecutors countered with text messages suggesting Biden had been less available to his daughter during that period.
An ex-girlfriend had earlier testified that she saw Biden using crack cocaine as late as September 2018, a month before the gun purchase on October 12, 2018. Defense attorney Abbe Lowell also brought in Jason Turner and Ron Palmieri, who worked at the Wilmington gun shop where Biden bought the gun, to discuss the background check procedures.
Special counsel David Weiss has accused Biden of lying on a federal form about his drug use to buy the revolver and unlawfully keeping the firearm for 11 days while being addicted to or using crack cocaine.
Throughout the trial, Biden was supported by several family members, including first lady Jill Biden, first daughter Ashley Biden, his uncle and aunt James and Sara Biden, his aunt Valerie Biden Owens, and his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden. Hollywood attorney Kevin Morris has also been a constant presence.
With the trial entering its second week, closing arguments are set for Monday afternoon. Judge Maryellen Noreika has already provided most of the instructions to the jury, and deliberations are expected to start soon after the closing arguments, which could last for hours or days as needed.
