Widow of Beau Biden testifies she discarded gun in trash

WILMINGTON, Del. — The widow of Hunter Biden’s brother testified in his federal gun trial on Thursday about the moment she discovered a revolver in his truck. She described how she found the gun, put it in a leather pouch, placed it in a shopping bag, and threw it in a trash can near her home.

“I panicked and wanted to get rid of them,” she said about finding the gun and ammunition in the vehicle’s console in October 2018. “I didn’t want him to harm himself, and I didn’t want my children to find it and get hurt.”

Hunter Biden’s purchase of the Colt revolver and Hallie Biden’s disposal of it are central to the case against him.

Federal prosecutors allege that the president’s son was dealing with a severe crack addiction at the time of the gun purchase. He faces three felonies: lying to a gun dealer, making false claims on the application, and possessing the gun illegally for 11 days.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden stated in an ABC interview that he would accept the verdict of the jury and ruled out pardoning his son.

The first lady left France, where she attended D-Day events with the president, to return to Wilmington. She was expected to attend the trial again on Friday before going back to France for a state dinner.

Hallie Biden, who had a brief relationship with Hunter after Beau Biden’s death in 2015, testified that she did not see him use drugs from his return to Delaware from California until she threw away his gun. This period included the day of the gun purchase.

Most of her testimony focused on October 23, 2018 — 11 days after he bought the gun and when she disposed of it. Hunter was staying with her and seemed exhausted. When asked by the prosecutor if he appeared to be using drugs around that time, she replied, “He could have been.”

While Hunter was asleep in her home, Hallie Biden checked his car with the hope of assisting him in getting or staying sober, free from alcohol and cocaine.

She found remnants of crack cocaine and drug paraphernalia. Additionally, she discovered the gun Hunter purchased in a box with a broken lock that prevented it from fully closing, along with ammunition.

Hallie considered hiding the gun but decided against it, fearing her children might find it. Instead, she chose to discard it.

“I now realize it was a foolish idea, but I was panicking,” she said.

She informed the jury that she found crack at her home and witnessed Hunter using it. She also mentioned being with him when he interacted with drug dealers. Prosecutor Leo Wise questioned Hallie about her trip to California in 2018, where Hunter was staying at the Roosevelt Hotel, and inquired if she was using drugs as well.

“And who introduced you to it?”

“Hunter did,” Hallie replied as Hunter rested his face on his hand and looked down.

“It was a terrible experience that I went through, and I’m embarrassed and ashamed, and I regret that period of my life,” she added.

Hallie testified that she stopped using drugs in August 2018, while Hunter continued to smoke crack.

Hunter Biden, who pleaded not guilty, has accused the Justice Department of yielding to political pressure from Republicans and unfairly targeting him.

The prosecution has focused extensively on highlighting the severity of his crack addiction, presenting bare-chested moments with ex-girlfriends, instances of infidelity, and crack pipes to jurors — all to demonstrate that he was actively using when he declared “no” on the application form. Prosecutors argue that this evidence is crucial in showing his state of mind during the gun purchase.

Following Hallie Biden’s disposal of the unloaded gun in the trash can at Janssen’s Market, Hunter noticed it was missing and asked her if she had taken it.

“Are you insane?” he texted, instructing her to return to the market to search for it.

Surveillance footage shown to jurors displayed her searching for the gun in the trash can, but it was not there. She inquired with the store officials if someone had emptied the trash.

Hallie mentioned that Hunter advised her to file a police report as the gun was registered in his name. She made the call to the police while still at the store.

Officers identified the individual who unknowingly took the gun along with other recyclables from the trash and retrieved it.

The case was eventually closed due to Hunter Biden’s lack of cooperation as the victim. The jury also heard testimony from the officers involved in the case and the man who discovered the gun.