


WILMINGTON, Delaware — Hunter Biden’s trial on three felony firearm charges started Monday, with several potential jurors expressing strong opinions about guns amid the jury selection process.
The first son is accused of lying on a federal gun form about his drug use to obtain a Colt Cobra revolver. He’s charged with two counts related to false statements in purchasing a firearm and a third count of illegally obtaining a firearm while addicted to drugs.
If convicted on all counts, Hunter Biden faces up to 25 years in prison and $750,000 in fines.
As prosecutors and defense attorneys questioned individual members of the 250-person jury pool, potential jurors spoke out about the Second Amendment.
Prosecutors and defense attorneys agreed to dismiss a woman who said the U.S. should have tougher gun laws so it’s harder to “kill children at schools” with assault weapons that can “kill a lot of people at once.”
“I’d ban them altogether, to be honest,” said the White woman, who added that she joined anti-Trump resistance groups and supported Democratic candidates for office in 2018 and 2022.
A White male with a beard said Americans have “a God-given right” to own a firearm and described his family as “very Second Amendment savvy.” He was excused from the jury pool after he admitted his strong gun beliefs would keep him from being impartial.
A young White woman said she would “try her best” to be fair and impartial, but her emphatic gun stands could play a role in how she views the case.
“The [gun] laws aren’t strong enough and anyone can get a gun. Politicians care more about money than protecting us,” she told the court.
She was excused after U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika told the woman that her wavering on whether she could be fair would give “heartburn” to defense attorneys and prosecutors.
A Black woman told the court that people who smoke weed should be allowed to own guns. She stayed in the jury pool.
A middle-aged Hispanic male said people should be allowed to obtain firearms as long as they keep the guns away from children. But he said an alcoholic or someone using drugs should be banned from buying guns. Still, he said he could put aside his personal views and judge the case fairly. He remained in the jury pool.
One man was excused from the jury pool after he told the court prosecutors charge cases based on politics, per the case against former President Trump in New York.
A retired police officer said Mr. Trump is a victim of political prosecution.
Defense attorney Abbe Lowell asked the man, who said he recently donated to the Republican National Committee, if he thinks Democrats are prosecuted because of politics and he said he wasn’t aware of any such cases.
Mr. Lowell said he’d use one of his strikes to eliminate the 23-year veteran of the Wilmington Police Department from the jury pool.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.