Defense rests in Hunter Biden trial

Defense lawyers rested their case Monday in Hunter Biden’s federal criminal trial over allegations he lied on federal forms about his drug use to unlawfully purchase a gun in 2018.

The president’s son was not called as a witness to testify, amid speculation over whether he would take the stand, The Associated Press reported.

The defense called three witnesses last week, including Naomi Biden, Hunter Biden’s daughter, who detailed her father’s drug use and stints in rehab.

Biden is facing three felony charges in Delaware, where he is accused of lying in 2018 on a mandatory firearm-purchase form on which he claimed he wasn’t using or addicted to illegal drugs. He is also accused of purchasing the gun illegally while addicted to a controlled substance.

The charges were filed last fall after a plea deal fell apart amid criticism, notably from the right, that the deal was too lenient to Hunter Biden. He has pleaded not guilty to the three charges.

The prosecutor’s key witness was Hallie Biden, who was married to Hunter Biden’s brother, Beau, before his 2015 death from cancer; Hallie had a romantic relationship with Hunter at the time of the firearm purchase. She told prosecutors she “panicked” when she discovered Hunter Biden’s gun in 2018 and decided to discard the firearm in question.

Hallie Biden detailed Hunter Biden’s drug use during the period in which they were romantically involved and revealed her brother-in-law introduced her to crack cocaine.

Monday’s court session began with arguments between the two sides over the instructions that will be delivered to the jury before deliberations, the AP reported. The lawyers discussed how jurors can request to see certain physical evidence, including the gun, in the jury room, the AP added.

Hunter Biden’s defense attorneys argued the proposed jury instructions featured “overly expansive and amorphous” definitions of what it means to be a drug “user” and to “possess” a firearm and could deny their client a fair trial.

If convicted on all three counts, Hunter Biden faces a maximum of 25 years in prison and $750,000 in fines.

President Biden reaffirmed last week he would not pardon his son and would accept the outcome of the federal gun trial.