Hunter Biden gun trial live updates: Laptop introduced into evidence

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.

Now, the judge continues to preside over Biden’s case in Delaware where he is accused of lying about his previous drug use on a federal firearm purchasing form.

Hunter Biden’s sister, Ashley Biden, appeared to leave the courtroom in tears on Tuesday as jurors heard lengthy details about his prior drug use.

Ashley Biden and First Lady Jill Biden were among more than a dozen family members and friends who showed up to support the president’s son on the first day of his trial in Wilmington, Delaware.

Biden is accused of lying on a federal firearm form about his prior drug use in order to unlawfully obtain a handgun in October 2018.

Ariana Baio and Gustaf Kilander report:

During opening statements, defense lawyer Abbe Lowell told jurors that Biden never loaded the revolver he purchased and kept it in a locked box – insinuating he handled the firearm responsibly.

Rather it was Hallie Biden, Beau Biden’s widow whom Hunter dated briefly, who put the gun in a bag and discarded it into a dumpster behind a grocery store.

“Hunter put the gun in the locked box of the Ford Truck,” Lowell said. “Hallie put it in the bag.”

Calling her “insane,” he asked her to say if she took the handgun that the defense said was located in a lockbox in Biden’s Ford pickup truck.

“This is no game. And you’re being totally irresponsible and unhinged,” Biden wrote.

“Did you take that from me, Hallie?” he asked.

“I’m sorry, I just want you to be safe, this is not safe,” she said.

A seemingly relaxed Biden was seen laughing with defense attorney Abbe Lowell before the proceedings began in the wooded courtroom in downtown Wilmington on Tuesday.

FBI agent Erika Jensen testified under cross-examination that Hunter Biden did not use drugs, or crack cocaine, continuously during the period when he would have purchased the firearm.

Defense attorney Abbe Lowell refused the prosecutor’s previous claim that Biden was in “active” addiction from 2015 to 2019 – something Biden mentions in his memoir.

But Jensen said she “didn’t get the sense” that was necessarily true and there were stretches of time Biden did not use crack cocaine.

Hunter Biden withdrew more than $100,000 in cash between September, October and November 2018, according to bank statements that prosecutors showed jurors on Tuesday.

FBI agent Jensen testified that Biden withdrew large sums of money every day from three different bank accounts he was associated with: his personal account, Owasco LLC and another account associated with Owasco.

The withdrawals totaled $151,640.45 during that time.

Prosecutor Derek Hines showed text messages, obtained from Biden’s laptop, in which he berated his onetime girlfriend, and brother’s widow, Hallie Biden for taking the gun that the government says was unlawfully obtained.

In an October 23, 2018 message, Hunter calls Hallie “insane” while demanding she explain if she took his gun that defense attorneys say he kept in a lock box.

“This is no game. And you’re being totally irresponsible and unhinge,” Hunter texted her.

Defense attorneys objected to the text messages in court – claiming Hallie would testify herself but Judge Maryellen Noreika overruled

Before court adjourned for the day, FBI agent Jensen confirmed Hunter Biden was holding a crackpipe in a video submitted into testimony.

In the video, Biden appears shirtless while holding the drug paraphernalia – further evidence that Biden was dealing with substance abuse.

Judge Maryellen Noreika has adjourned court for the day.

Cross-examination of FBI agent Erika Jensen will continue on Wednesday.

Prosecutors have finished questioning FBI agent Erika Jensen and now the defense will have an opportunity to cross-examine.