Prosecutors in Hunter Biden’s federal gun trial will likely finish calling witnesses by the end of the week.
The prosecution has been working to prove that the president’s son lied about illegal drug use on a federal form to purchase a gun in 2018. Biden is facing three federal charges in the case, and up to a 25-year prison sentence if convicted.
Hallie Biden, widow of the president’s other son — and Hunter’s brother — Beau Biden, was the latest witness to take the stand. Beau passed away from brain cancer in 2015, and Hunter and Hallie were later romantically involved.
Hallie testified that she couldn’t recall when she first saw Hunter use drugs, but found crack cocaine at one point and Googled it because she didn’t know what it was. She said Hunter did not deny it was his, and she only saw Hunter using it “occasionally.” Hallie noticed varying quantities of crack that Hunter used, from marble-sized to a little bit bigger than a pingpong ball, by her estimation.
Hallie said Hunter introduced her to crack. Speaking about that time in her life, Hallie said, “I’m embarrassed, I’m ashamed, and I regret that period of my life.” She said she stopped smoking crack in August 2018.
When Hunter came to her house in Wilmington, Delaware, in October 2018, Hallie went to clean out Hunter’s car in an effort to remove any drugs to try to help him get sober. Hallie said she found residue and paraphernalia, but cannot recall exactly what paraphernalia she found. Hallie said the lockbox in the car where the gun was stored was ajar. Hallie said she found the gun, panicked, put it in a leather pouch, and then put it in a shopping bag. That leather pouch is one alleged to have had drug residue on it.
The jury was shown surveillance footage of Hallie driving to and from the grocery store. In the first clip, she disposes of the gun in a trash can outside the store. In a second clip, she comes back, searches for it but does not find it. She filed a police report about the missing gun after talking to grocery store staff.
Prior to Hallie Biden taking the stand, Gordon Cleveland, the gun shop clerk who sold the gun to Hunter Biden in 2018, wrapped up his testimony.
Biden’s defense attorney Abbe Lowell questioned Cleveland over language used in form 4473, which Biden filled out to buy his gun. In particular, he was questioning the use of the word “are” or “have you ever” with regard to a question about illegal drug use.
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The prosecution also called Joshua Marley, a Delaware State Police officer, to the stand. He responded to the grocery store that day after Hallie and a store employee made a call saying they needed to file a police report about the missing gun.
Former Delaware State Police Lt. Millard Greer also testified about leading the investigation into locating the missing firearm. Prosecutors asked Greer about reviewing the grocery store security footage and tracking down the man seen in the footage digging through the trash can.
Greer said he got a tip from a local investments office about the individual, Edward Banner, who was known around the area to rummage through trash to collect recyclables. After contacting Banner, Greer said the man admitted to having the weapon and agreed to turn it in. Once Greer received the gun, it was tagged as evidence.
After testimony concluded for the day, the prosecution said it would call two witnesses on Friday. The defense plans to call two or three witnesses as well.
It is not clear whether Biden will take the stand in his defense.
