Prosecution Rests in Hunter Biden’s Federal Gun Case After First Son Declines To Testify

The defense and prosecution met with Judge Maryellen Noreika for the better part of an hour on Monday.

AP
Hunter Biden arrives to federal court with his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, June 10, 2024, at Wilmington, Delaware. AP

The prosecution rested Monday in the federal case against Hunter Biden, after weeks of back and forth over the son’s use of drugs around the time he purchased a firearm in 2018. 

“No further questions, your honor. The United States rests its case,” assistant United States attorney Derek Hines told Judge Maryellen Noreika. It came after the prosecution and defense re-questioned the first witness, FBI special agent Erika Jensen, who took the stand last week. 

Ms. Jensen, who compiled information retrieved from Mr. Biden’s notorious laptop and presented it to the jury during her testimony, was asked about Mr. Biden’s location around the time he bought the gun on October 12, 2018. 

Ms. Jensen was asked by Mr. Hines about Mr. Biden’s trip to a 7-Eleven in Delaware just 48 hours before he bought the gun. According to text messages displayed in the courtroom, Mr. Biden was texting with a man named only as “Q” who was one of his drug dealers. 

Mr. Biden and “Q” agreed to meet at a 7-Eleven near the president’s Greenville, Delaware home, just outside of Wilmington. “Q” asked Mr. Biden if he wanted “the same,” likely referring to drugs. Ms. Jensen testified that location data recovered from the phone show that Mr. Biden was in Delaware near his father’s home at the time the message was sent. 

Ms. Jensen was also referred to Mr. Biden’s addiction memoir, “Beautiful Things,” by Mr. Hines. In it, Mr. Biden writes about how he would often meet dealers at 7-Eleven.

Mr. Biden’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, then pressed Ms. Jensen on the exact location data. During the questioning, she conceded that she had no exact location of Mr. Biden on October 10 — two days before the gun purchase — to prove Mr. Biden was, in fact, at the 7-Eleven location. Mr. Lowell last week questioned Mr. Biden’s ex-girlfriend who is also the widow of his brother Beau Biden, Hallie Biden, about Mr. Biden’s trustworthiness during his years of addiction to crack and alcohol. 

Ms. Biden said on the stand that Mr. Biden would often lie about his location. 

“You don’t know if it was for a donut or a coffee,” Mr. Lowell to said Ms. Jensen about an early morning text message to Ms. Biden from Mr. Biden, the location data of which showed he was at 7-Eleven around 5 a.m. “I think it’s a little early for a Slurpee,” Mr. Lowell said, eliciting laughs from the courtroom. 

After Mr. Lowell’s questioning, Mr. Hines asked two brief questions about the location data and announced that the prosecution would rest its case. Judge Noreika announced she would read instructions to the jury about the process of deliberating before taking a “shortish” lunch break, which would be followed by closing statements from both the prosecution and defense. 

The first son was well-supported in court on Monday, surrounded by several friends and family members. The first lady, Jill Biden, Mr. Biden’s half-sister Ashley, and his wife Melissa Cohen — arguably the most important women in his life — sat directly behind Mr. Biden, all wearing black. 

Mr. Biden’s aunt and uncle, Valerie Owens and Jim Biden, sat shoulder-to-shoulder with the rest of the family, along the with first lady’s sister, Bonny Jacobs, and Jim Biden’s wife, Sara Biden, were also in attendance. 

Joining the family in court were several friends from Delaware, including Black leaders from the local AME church, who have known the Bidens for decades, and Mr. Biden’s “sugar brother” Kevin Morris. 


The New York Sun

© 2024 The New York Sun Company, LLC. All rights reserved.

Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The material on this site is protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used.

The New York Sun

Sign in or  Create a free account

or
By continuing you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use