The courtroom was filled with tension as Naomi Biden Neal, daughter of Hunter Biden, took the stand on Friday in a bid to defend her father against charges of falsely claiming to be sober on a gun application. The emotional testimony left observers unsure of whether she had helped or harmed his case.
Ms. Biden Neal, 30, painted a picture of her father as hopeful and sober in the weeks leading up to the gun application, but prosecutors quickly introduced texts that contradicted her testimony. In one text from October 2018, she expressed frustration with her father for driving her to the breaking point.
Despite her efforts to support her father, Ms. Biden Neal’s testimony was overshadowed by the prosecution’s witnesses, who detailed Mr. Biden’s struggles with addiction following the death of his brother in 2015. The defense, led by Abbe Lowell, sought to show that Mr. Biden was making progress in overcoming his addiction at the time of the gun purchase.
As Ms. Biden Neal’s testimony unfolded, it became clear that her father’s battle with addiction was far from over. Text messages retrieved from Mr. Biden’s phone indicated that he was still using drugs shortly after purchasing the gun. The prosecution’s case hinged on proving that Mr. Biden knowingly falsified the gun application.
The trial, which has captivated the public with its high-profile cast of characters, including the first lady Jill Biden, is set to continue next week. The outcome remains uncertain, but the stakes are high for Mr. Biden, who faces three felony charges and the possibility of a lengthy prison sentence if convicted.