Hunter Biden’s defense team rested on Monday in his federal firearms trial in Delaware, marking a pivotal moment in the case as closing arguments loom and the jury prepares to deliberate. The decision not to have Mr. Biden testify in his own defense came after intense deliberation between him and his lead lawyer, Abbe Lowell.
The trial has been marked by emotional testimony from three of Mr. Biden’s former romantic partners, who detailed his struggles with crack addiction following his brother’s death. The prosecution has sought to prove that Mr. Biden was using drugs at the time he purchased the gun in question, while the defense has focused on whether he was specifically using crack cocaine at that time.
One key witness for the defense, Mr. Biden’s daughter Naomi Biden Neal, provided conflicting testimony about her father’s drug use leading up to the gun purchase. While she initially painted a hopeful picture of his sobriety, text messages introduced by the prosecution revealed a more tumultuous relationship between them.
Despite efforts by the defense to undermine the prosecution’s case, including highlighting the lack of evidence showing Mr. Biden using crack cocaine in the month of the gun purchase, damaging text messages from Mr. Biden’s phone have posed challenges. One message referenced meeting a drug dealer named Mookie and smoking crack shortly after purchasing the gun.
As the trial nears its conclusion, both sides are preparing to make their final arguments to the jury. The outcome of the trial will have significant implications for Mr. Biden, who faces charges related to false statements on a federal firearms form. The decision to rest the defense without Mr. Biden testifying sets the stage for a tense and dramatic conclusion to the trial.
