WILMINGTON, Del. — Hunter Biden’s federal trial on gun charges got off to a rocky start Tuesday morning, as opening statements were delayed when jurors couldn’t make it to the courthouse on time.
Judge Maryellen Noreika told prosecutors and lawyers for the first son that the court had received an email from the juror — identified as number 16 during Monday’s jury selection and who lives in Milford, Del. — saying that she doesn’t have a car and “I live an hour away.”
The judge said she would let the woman out of serving due to hardship and the vacant spot will likely be filled by one of the four alternates.
Proceedings were also delayed from the 9 a.m. scheduled start time because four of the other panelists hadn’t arrived yet, Noreika informed the lawyers.
While they waited, lead defense lawyer Abbe Lowell delivered impassioned arguments on some last-minute motions.
The jury of six men and six women was seated Monday.
The group is slated to hear opening remarks by prosecutors from the office of special counsel David Weiss, who showed up to court Tuesday.
Hunter’s team will deliver its opening statements after.
Hunter, 54, arrived to the federal courthouse Tuesday morning wearing a suit and tie and an American flag pin on his lapel.
He was accompanied again by his wife Melissa Cohen, who held his hand on their way inside.
First lady Jill Biden also came to court for a second day to support her stepson, as did Hunter’s half-sister, Ashley.
Prosecutors teased Monday that they will likely call FBI Special Agent Erika Jensen as their first witness, and the jury may see evidence of Hunter’s infamous laptop.
“Jensen will introduce the defendant’s messages included in the 1006 summary chart … admissions in his book/audiobook, as well as introduce other evidence included on the government’s exhibit list,” prosecutors previously wrote in their trial brief about the witness.
Prosecutors teased Monday that they will likely call FBI Special Agent Erika Jensen as their first witness, and the jury may see evidence of Hunter’s infamous laptop.
That summary chart features evidence taken in part from an authentic copy of the first son’s hard drive.
Specifically, the chart “accurately summarizes electronic evidence derived from search warrants of the defendant’s Apple iCloud account and the defendant’s laptop and hard drive,” according to prosecutors.
One day after purchasing his gun on Oct. 12, 2018, Hunter Biden sets up a drug deal with “Mookie” at the 7/11 on Greenhill and Lancaster.”He has my money mad I’m getting pissed,” Hunter texts Hallie Biden. pic.twitter.com/U6r4pp2biv
During a pretrial conference last month, Noreika gave the go-ahead for prosecutors to use select information from the laptop while permitting the defense to pose objections on an item-by-item basis.
The summary chart features scores of Hunter Biden’s communications, which prosecutors are banking on to prove that he was in fact addicted to crack cocaine when he purchased the .38-caliber revolver on Oct. 12, 2018.
The judge has ruled that prosecutors do not have to prove that the first son was high at the time of the purchase.
Text messages from Hunter Biden’s laptop showed he corresponded with an individual not long before the gun purchase who has a rap sheet that includes drug charges.