Key family players at Hunter Biden's gun trial
Hunter Biden was flanked by First Lady Jill Biden (L) and his wife Melissa Cohen Biden (R) after being convicted in a Wilmington court
- Published
Hunter Biden was joined by multiple family members during his gun possession trial, in which he was convicted on all counts.
The high-profile case in Delaware heard details of family turmoil caused by Biden's drug addiction.
And it unfolded as his father, US President Joe Biden, is in the midst of a tough race for re-election.
Some members of the Biden clan served as witnesses, but others went to the courtroom to show public support for Biden, 54, who is the first child of a sitting president to receive a criminal conviction.
Here are the family members who appeared in court during the proceedings:
Jill Biden
President Biden stayed away from the trial as it played out in Wilmington. But he issued statements in support of his son, including one in the aftermath of Hunter's conviction which read: “I am the president, but I am also a dad. Jill and I love our son, and we are so proud of the man he is today.”
He also flew after the verdict to greet and hug his son on the Wilmington airport tarmac.
In contrast with her husband, First Lady Jill Biden was a constant presence at court, often sitting in the front row.
She arrived in the lobby of the court minutes after the verdict was read, and left with her step-son past throngs of photographers and journalists.
The first lady married the president in 1977 after his first wife, Hunter Biden’s mother, died in a 1972 car accident.
Melissa Cohen Biden
Melissa Cohen Biden was also a daily presence in court
Hunter Biden's second wife has been described by him as his "protector" and showed herself to be a fierce supporter of her husband during the trial. She was also seen shaking her head in disapproval during some testimony.
The pair, who share a 4-year-old son named Beau, were often seen holding hands as they entered and left the courthouse.
At one point, she angrily confronted a former Trump aide at the courthouse during a break in proceedings, launching into a profanity-laced tirade at Garrett Ziegler.
Mr Ziegler has circulated embarrassing messages and images from a laptop that once belonged to her husband, who is suing him.
Kathleen Buhle
Kathleen Buhle testified about finding out about her ex-husband's drug use in 2015
Kathleen Buhle was married to Biden between 1993 and 2017, and has three daughters with him.
While testifying at trial, she described how she learned of her former husband's drug use in 2015 when she found a crack pipe in an ashtray.
In her brief testimony, Ms Buhle spoke about searching her then-husband's car for drugs and drug paraphernalia, as well as his resistance at the time to entering a rehabilitation facility.
Hallie Biden
Hallie Biden is the widow of Hunter's older brother, Beau - who died in 2015 from brain cancer. She served as a star witness for the prosecution.
She became romantically involved with Hunter Biden after her husband's death, and was the person who discarded the handgun he bought in October 2018. That act triggered the series of events that brought the president's son to the courtroom in Delaware.
She testified that she found Hunter Biden's gun while searching his car, along with ammunition, traces of crack cocaine and drug paraphernalia.
Fearful and "panicking", she testified that she threw the gun away at a local grocery store.
The federal prosecutor in the case had previously revealed to jurors that Hallie Biden was introduced to crack cocaine by Biden.
"I'm embarrassed and ashamed, and I regret that period of my life," she told the court, adding that she pleaded with him to get sober.
Naomi Biden
Naomi Biden is the eldest daughter of Hunter and Kathleen Buhle.
She took the stand in a surprise appearance as a defence witness, and said she first became aware of her father’s substance abuse after the death of her uncle, Beau.
She said he seemed "hopeful” at the end of October 2018 in New York, around the time he purchased the gun and had been working with a sober coach in LA.
She embraced her father as she left court, appearing emotional.
Ashley Biden
Hunter Biden's sister Ashley Biden was in court early in the proceedings
Ashley Biden showed up to court for the first two days of her brother's trial.
At one point, she was seen wiping away tears as the court heard audiobook recordings of his memoir, Beautiful Things, that detailed past drug use.
James Biden
James Biden, the brother of the president, appeared in court as well. He was not called as a witness.
Jack Owens and Valerie Biden Owens
Valerie Biden Owens - Joe Biden's sister and Hunter Biden's aunt - also attended court.
Her husband Jack Owens was seen attending the trial near daily.