Hunter Biden trial: President changes his schedule to be with his son after guilty verdict
After three hours of deliberations, the jury convicted the president’s son on all charges
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Your support makes all the difference.President Joe Biden flew to Wilmington, Delaware, on Tuesday to be with his son Hunter Biden after a jury convicted him on three federal gun charges.
Hours after the verdict, the White House Press Office announced that the president’s schedule had changed and that he would head hometown. Later that afternoon, Biden landed in Delaware – greeting his son, daughter-in-law and grandson on the tarmac.
Hunter was charged with two counts of making false statements and one count of unlawfully possessing a firearm for obtaining a gun in October 2018 while he was addicted to crack cocaine.
The president has already said he will not pardon his son but issued a statement saying he and first lady Jill Biden love and support their son and are proud of his resilience in recovery.
Throughout Hunter’s federal gun charges trial, members of the Biden family flocked to the courthouse to show their support for the defendant.
On Tuesday evening, CNN aired a montage comparing and contrasting the very different reaction of Fox News hosts to the criminal convictions of Donald Trump and the younger Biden at their respective trials.
Biden rules out pardoning Hunter if he’s convicted on gun charges
President Joe Biden has revealed he will not pardon his son, Hunter Biden, if he is convicted on felony gun charges.
ABC News’ David Muir asked the president point blank if he would accept the outcome of his son’s trial. “Yes,” the president replied, also telling Muir he would rule out pardoning his son if convicted.
In Thursday’s interview, Biden also told ABC News he thinks Trump has attempted to “undermine” the law since his conviction.
“He got a fair trial,” Biden said. “The jury spoke.”
Jury instruction discussion includes definition of reasonable doubt and immunity
Hunter Biden’s federal gun trial resumed in Delaware, with the judge discussing final jury instructions with attorneys.
The judge began Monday’s proceedings by overruling many of the defense team’s objections to her proposed instructions. Specifically, the word “knowingly”.
Hunter Biden is charged with three felonies stemming from a handgun purchase in October 2018. Prosecutors say he lied when buying the gun by stating that he was not a drug user or addict.
Hunter Biden prosecutors says ‘ugly’ and ‘personal’ evidence was ‘absolutely necessary’ in closing arguments
The defense and the prosecution painted two starkly different pictures of Hunter Biden’s 2018 gun purchase during closing arguments on Monday.
Lawyers for Biden outlined a story of a recovering addict who genuinely believed he was on the mend when he checked a box saying that he wasn’t an active user of illicit drugs on a form to buy a firearm on 12 October 2018.
Meanwhile, the prosecution argued that Biden was well aware that he was an addict and an active drug user when he bought the 38 Colt Special at StarQuest Shooters and Survival Supply in Wilmington.
Biden is accused of knowingly buying a firearm while being addicted to crack cocaine, a violation of federal law.
The president’s son faces three counts: False statement in the purchase of a firearm, false statement in a record required to be kept, and being a drug user or drug addict in possession of a firearm.
Hunter Biden prosecutor says ‘ugly,’ ‘personal’ evidence was ‘absolutely necessary’
Defense described a recovering addict who believed he was on the mend when he checked a box saying that he wasn’t an active user of illicit drugs on gun form
Who’s who in the Hunter Biden trial
Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, is on trial for three federal gun-related charges after he allegedly unlawfully obtained a firearm in October 2018.
Among those testifying are three of Hunter’s former romantic partners: his ex-wife; his ex-girlfriend; and his sister-in-law-turned-lover.
Ariana Baio reports:
The ex, the wife and the widow: Who’s who in the Hunter Biden trial
Several of Hunter Biden’s exes, including his former wife, girlfriend and sister-in-law-turned-lover, testified about his drug use in his federal gun charges trial.
What to expect on day six
Jurors are expected to return to the federal building in Wilmington, Delaware to continue deliberations in the federal gun charges trial.
It is unclear when or if they will reach a verdict but they must vote unanimously to convict Biden on any of the criminal charges.
Watch live: Hunter Biden trial continues with jury deliberations
Watch live: Hunter Biden trial continues with jury deliberations
Watch live outside court in Wilmington, Delaware, as Hunter Biden's trial on criminal gun charges continues on Tuesday, 11 June.
Who is the judge?
District Court Judge Maryellen Noreika, 57, was initially assigned to the case, brought by special counsel David Weiss, back in June 2023.
At the time, the president’s son was expected to take a plea deal after striking an agreement with prosecutors to plead guilty to lesser tax charges and avoid the gun charges altogether.
But the federal judge was thrust into the spotlight when she suddenly rejected the deal in the 11th hour – calling it “not standard.”
Judge Noreika’s decision caused Biden’s cases to be split, leading to a three-count indictment on gun-related charges in Delaware and a nine-count indictment on federal tax charges in Los Angeles.
Appointed in 2017, Judge Noreika serves as one of the four judges for Delaware’s single-federal district court.
Though she was nominated by former president Trump, her nomination was recommended and supported by Delaware’s two Democratic senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons.
She worked for the law firm Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell for nearly 24 years before her nomination and appointment to the district court in 2018.
During her career, Judge Noreika has donated to both Republican and Democratic campaigns – though more often to Republicans.
She has gained a reputation for no-nonsense professionalism and sets a high standard for technical legal matters.
Jury resumes deliberations
The jury has entered the courthouse and resumed deliberations for the day.
Hunter Biden and wife arrive at courthouse
No other Biden family members this morning
Hunter Biden and his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, are the only two Bidens to have arrived at the federal courthouse in Wilmington, Delaware on Tuesday.
No other Biden family members arrived – though they may return when the verdict is read once the jury is finished deliberating.