Hunter Biden’s ex-girlfriend testifies that she “panicked” when she searched his car and found a gun — a moment that set off a chaotic chain of events that brought the president’s son into federal custody court.
Halle Biden, who is also the widow of the defendant’s late brother Beau, said she found the revolver among piles of clothing and trash in the glove box of Hunter Biden’s truck.
A Delaware court will begin hearing testimony from two more witnesses on Friday, and prosecutors will present the remaining evidence to jurors.
It is unclear whether Biden himself will testify in the first trial of the son of a sitting US president.
The 54-year-old man is accused of lying on a drug form while purchasing a gun and ammunition on October 12, 2018.
Biden has pleaded not guilty to three charges related to his possession of a firearm and alleged drug use.
His defense team said he was in recovery at the time, so he was being honest when he stated on paper that he was not a drug addict.
On Thursday, the court heard from Haley Biden, a central figure in the case who became romantically involved with the defendant shortly after the death of his brother and husband in 2015.
Ms Biden, 50, told the court she began using crack cocaine herself after Mr Biden introduced her to the drug, which left her feeling “embarrassed and ashamed”.
In often emotional and detailed testimony, she spoke of the pair’s “unstable” and “on-again, off-again” relationship, as well as their battles with drug addiction and painful recovery struggles.
Ms. Biden testified that she stopped using the drug in August 2018, but that Hunter Biden continued to use it.
Ms Biden became concerned after seeing Mr Biden looking “exhausted” and worried he might use drugs again, telling jurors she searched his truck in the early morning hours of October 23, 2018 ——This is something she often does.
There, she found “remnants” of crack cocaine and drug paraphernalia among piles of clothing and trash.
“Oh, and guns, of course,” she added.
Almost immediately, panic set in, she recalled.
“I don’t want him to hurt himself, and I don’t want my kids to find it and hurt themselves,” the mother of two said.
“I was kind of afraid to touch it. I didn’t know it was installed,” Ms. Biden added.
Out of fear, she put the .38-caliber Colt Cobra revolver into a leather pouch, stuffed it into a purple “little gift shopping bag,” then drove to a nearby grocery store and threw it in the trash.
“I realize now that this was a stupid idea,” she said. “But I was panicking.”
Initially, she had no intention of telling Mr. Biden what she had done. But when he woke up in the morning, he found it missing.
One angry text shown to jurors read: “Are you taking this from me, Halle.” “You really need to help me think right now, Halle. This is very serious.”
At his urging, she returned to the store to look for the gun but was unable to find it. She then reported the incident to the police.
“I will take responsibility,” she texted him at the scene. “I don’t want to live like this.”
It was previously reported that the weapon was found by a man who regularly rummaged through grocery store trash piles looking for recyclable items.
Ms. Biden also told the court that she did not see Mr. Biden using crack cocaine in the days before he purchased the gun and the day she disposed of it.
Hunter Biden appeared to be looking intently in her direction as she testified.
He also recalled his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, who has attended every day of the trial so far.
Halle Biden also told the court that she didn’t learn about Biden’s drug use until after their relationship began.
She found crack cocaine at her home (where he often stayed) and later saw him using the drug on several occasions.
She said the cracks made him “agitated or highly nervous, but at other times he was able to function normally”.
Prosecutors on Thursday asked about a text message Hunter Biden sent to Ms. Biden the day after buying the gun, saying he was waiting for a dealer named Mookie.
She told the court this meant “he was buying crack cocaine”.
Two days after purchasing the gun, he texted Ms. Biden that he was “sleeping in a car with cocaine on it.”
The series of briefings also included several emotional messages from Ms. Biden, in which she implored him to stay sober.
“I’m worried you’re going to die,” one message read.
Lawyers for the defendants interpreted the text messages to suggest their client lied about his drug use to avoid meeting Harley Biden, noting that she had no way of knowing what he was actually doing at the time.
Under cross-examination, Ms Biden confirmed she did not see him using drugs during that time.
Biden’s attorney, Abe Lowell, asked her if the “help me sober” request could also refer to alcohol – and she agreed.
However, the prosecution’s case relied on convincing jurors that he was a drug addict.
Biden testified that the weapon was found by former Delaware State Police Lt. Millard Greer and 80-year-old pensioner Edward Banner at the grocery store. The weapon was found while searching for recyclables in a dumpster.
President Joe Biden continued his public duties as his son appeared in court. Thursday, He speaks in France to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
In an interview with ABC News that day, Biden said that he would accept the outcome of his son’s trial and would not pardon him if he was found guilty.
Hunter Biden also faces trial in California in September on charges of failing to pay $1.4 million (£1.1 million) in taxes.
