WILMINGTON, Del. – Opening statements will begin Tuesday morning in federal criminal court Hunter Biden.
Opening statements are expected to begin after 9 a.m. with the special counsel’s prosecutors. David WeissThe office is expected to file its lawsuit against President Joe Biden’s son in federal court in Wilmington, the largest city in the family’s home state of Delaware.
Hunter Biden is indicted number three it was related to possession of a weapon while using drugs. Two of the counts accuse him of filling out a drug free form on Oct. 12, 2018, when he bought a Colt Cobra revolver. The third claims to have had a firearm while using drugs.
The indictment states that Biden, on a federally approved form, “certifies that he is not an illegal user of, or addicted to, any stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance, a statement to the best of his knowledge to be false and fabricated.”
He pleaded not guilty.
There was a jury of 12 – six men and six women – and four alternates is selected from the pool More than 60 potential jurors Monday. First lady Jill Biden, who turned 73 on Monday, joined him in court. He sat next to Hunter Biden’s wife Melissa Cohen Biden in the audience. It is unclear if the first lady will return to court on Tuesday.
A source familiar with the situation said Biden expects a “steady stream of family and friends” to attend the trial.
At least 15 jurors, including the four eventually selected, said they had family members, significant others or close friends with substance abuse problems. A source close to the president and first lady said they have long felt that they appreciate the large number of people who suffer from drug addiction or substance abuse, and that people understand the complexity of that dynamic and see it on display in court.
Witness testimony will begin after Biden’s attorney makes his opening statement.
Prosecutors said their first witness will be FBI Special Agent Erika Jensen. According to a govt lawsuitJensen will present some evidence, including prosecutors text messages They say Biden used crack for several months before and after the gun purchase.
Among the messages prosecutors plan to release is one from the day after the purchase in which he texted someone “waiting for dealer.” They also plan to release one on October 14, 2018, in which he allegedly wrote, “Slept in the car smoking crack.”
Jensen will also “present the defendant’s confessions in his book/audiobook, as well as other evidence included in the government’s exhibit list.”
Prosecutors say they plan to call about 12 witnesses. Among them Biden is survived by his ex-wife, Kathleen Buhle, and Hallie Olivere Biden, the widow of his late brother, Bone.
Biden’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, said he wants to call the owner of the gun store as a witness and two or three expert witnesses. Weiss’ office disputed the testimony of some of the experts.
Monica Alba and Sarah Fitzpatrick contributed.