(COLUMBIA, S.C.) — South Carolina’s Department of Education has decided to eliminate Advanced Placement African American Studies in its high schools, saying districts can choose to offer it instead as a locally approved honors course without college credit.
The move has been criticized by free speech and civil rights groups including the NAACP and ACLU South Carolina.
“All students deserve access to a high-quality, inclusive, and accurate education with curricula and school instruction that reflects the experiences and perspectives of allcommunities,” read a letter to the state superintendent from several organizations including the NAACP, the Legal Defense Fund, the Charleston Jewish Federation and others.
South Carolina is the third state to restrict the AP class, following in the footsteps of Arkansas and Florida. The move was announced in a June 4 memo to superintendents and school leaders. The state Department of Education also decided to drop AP Precalculus for the upcoming school year as well.
According to the College Board, which creates AP classes, the African American Studies class is an interdisciplinary course that “examines the diversity of African American experiences through direct encounters with rich and varied sources.”
South Carolina officials said that recent classroom content restrictions being pursued by the state lawmakers have caused “significant controversy” over the course. The memo appears to refer to a bill that would restrict topics concerning race, gender, sexual orientation and more in the classroom.
Another bill being considered in South Carolina could create a state level test to determine whether some materials are “age-appropriate, educationally suitable materials” — which critics say could lead to an increase in book banning efforts by politicized groups.
A College Board spokesperson told ABC News the organization supports districts that choose to teach the course; however, “we regret that students and educators won’t receive the full benefits provided by the state as with other AP courses.”
The spokesperson said it will authorize African American Studies classes as an AP course in South Carolina “if those courses meet college-level standards as verified by the AP program’s standard process,” which could then be marked as Advanced Placement on student transcripts to colleges and universities.
A visitor looks at the new official portrait of King Charles III, painted by British artist Jonathan Yeo, displayed at the Philip Mould gallery, on Pall Mall, central London, on May 16, 2024. (Henry Nicholls/AFP via Getty Images)
(LONDON) — A recently unveiled portrait of King Charles was vandalized in a London gallery on Tuesday by an activist animal rights group, the group said.
Two of the group’s supporters “pasted the face of the iconic British character Wallace over His Majesty’s,” the group said in a press release, referencing a character from “Wallace and Gromit,” an animated film series. The group released a video of the vandalization on social media.
Charles last month became the royal patron of the RSPCA Assured charity, which works to improve the lives of animals on farms. And the activist group on Tuesday said its action was part of an effort to stop the “awful suffering across farms being endorsed by the RSPCA.”
“The action highlighted the cruelty on RSPCA Assured farms the group had exposed over the previous weekend,” the group said.
The Metropolitan Police Service said they had not been called regarding the incident but went to the gallery on Tuesday in response to “footage circulating on social media.”
Staff told police that there was no damage to the painting or glass covering it, and that the protesters left when asked, according to Met Police.
“The gallery did not wish to report a crime and as such there is no further action by police,” Met Police said in a statement.
The artwork by Jonathan Yeo, a U.K.-based artist, was unveiled during a ceremony in May at Buckingham Palace.
The 6-foot-tall portrait is on view at the Philip Mould Gallery through June 21.
ABC News’ Helena Skinner and Zoe Magee contributed to this report.
Hunter Biden, son of U.S. President Joe Biden, departs the J. Caleb Boggs Federal Building and United States Courthouse on July 26, 2023 in Wilmington, Delaware. (Photo by Mark M
(WILMINGTON, Del.) — President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden is on trial in Delaware on three felony charges related to his efforts to obtain a firearm in 2018 while allegedly addicted to drugs.
The younger Biden, who pleaded not guilty last October after being indicted by special counsel David Weiss, has denied the charges. The son of a sitting president has never before faced a criminal trial.
The trial comes on the heels of former President Donald Trump’s conviction on felony charges related to a 2016 hush money payment made to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.
The frequency of updates may be limited due to federal court restrictions:
Jun 11, 2:51 PM ‘Too many patterns’ of drug use to acquit, juror tells ABC News
A juror in Hunter Biden’s gun trial told ABC News that he did not know who Hunter Biden was before the trial started, and that his proximity to power made no difference to the jury.
“Everyone is human and everyone makes mistakes,” the juror said. “And those mistakes can have serious consequences — not just for them, but for everyone else.”
The juror — whose father was killed by gunfire when he was young — said prosecutors successfully showed that Hunter Biden’s drug use around the time of his gun purchase was “too close for me to consider him not a user or addict at that point.”
“There’s too many patterns that I can see that showed that he was using it when he purchased the gun,” the juror said.
Jun 11, 2:04 PM ‘Politics never came into play,’ juror tells ABC News
A member of the jury in Hunter Biden’s gun case told ABC News that “politics never came into play” in deliberations and that “the verdict absolutely was not politically motivated.”
The juror said “it wasn’t that hard” to reach a verdict, but said the panel of 12 had to overcome a six-six vote on yesterday afternoon when deliberations began.
When jurors returned this morning and deliberated further, he said they determined that prosecutors had met their burden of proof.
“If you’re an addict, you’re an addict,” he said.
The juror said evidence that placed Hunter Biden at a 7/11 convenience store — a place where he repeatedly said in his memoir and in text messages that he purchased drugs — days prior to his gun purchase tipped them over the top.
Jun 11, 1:53 PM Officials to discuss security plans should Hunter Biden be jailed
A senior official who has been briefed on the matter tells ABC News that the Secret Service has not started planning for the possibility that Hunter Biden could be sentenced to prison. Those discussions with the Bureau of Prisons will start now.
As the son of a president, Hunter Biden gets Secret Service protection but can opt out of that protection if he wants.
As of now, he continues to have USSS protection and, for as long as his father is president, that would continue, even in prison, unless he waives the privilege.
When sentenced, he could face up to 25 years in prison — though legal experts believe he will not serve time as a first-time and nonviolent offender.
-ABC News’ Josh Margolin
Jun 11, 1:40 PM President Biden to go to Wilmington
President Joe Biden’s schedule has been updated and he will now travel to Wilmington, Delaware, on Tuesday afternoon.
The president was originally scheduled to remain in Washington, D.C., but will instead head to Wilmington where he makes his home and where his son’s trial just concluded.
Jun 11, 1:27 PM Special counsel says Garland gave him independence to investigate
Special counsel David Weiss, whose office prosecuted Hunter Biden, said following the verdict that Hunter Biden should be held no more accountable than any other citizen regarding the charges.
Weiss said while much of the testimony in the case was about Hunter Biden’s abuse of drugs and alcohol, “Ultimately this case was not just about addiction, a disease that haunts families across the United States including Hunter Biden’s.”
This case was about “illegal choices [the] defendant made while in the throes of addiction, his choice to lie on a government form when he bought a gun, and the choice to possess that gun,” he said.
It was also about “the rule of law,” Weiss said. “No one in this country is above the law,” he said.
Weiss, a Trump appointee, thanked Attorney General Merrick Garland for “ensuring that we have the independence to appropriately pursue our investigations and prosecutions.”
Jun 11, 1:18 PM Trial was ‘waste of taxpayers’ dollars,’ juror tells ABC News
A member of the jury that found Hunter Biden guilty told ABC News after the verdict that the trial was a “waste of taxpayers’ dollars.”
“I just think he needs help. He needs rehab,” the juror told ABC News regarding the defendant. “In my opinion, this is a waste of taxpayers’ dollars. They should have fined him.”
Asked what she thinks a fair sentence would be, the juror said, “I don’t think that anyone who is a nonviolent drug addict should be in prison. Just fine him. We know he did something wrong. Just fine him. He needs help.”
She said the jurors “worked together really well.”
“Considering who his father is and the political climate in this country, it turned out better than I expected,” she said. “There was no fighting in the jury room.”
Judge Maryellen Noreika said before court ended that she would schedule a sentencing date in the next 120 days. Hunter Biden could face up to 25 years in prison, though legal experts believe he will not serve time as a first-time and nonviolent offender.
-ABC News’ Mark Guarino
Jun 11, 12:29 PM Hunter Biden says he’s more grateful than disappointed
Hunter Biden said in a statement after the verdict that he’s “more grateful today for the love and support I experienced this last week from Melissa, my family, my friends, and my community than I am disappointed by the outcome,” referencing his wife Melissa Cohen Biden.
“Recovery is possible by the grace of God, and I am blessed to experience that gift one day at a time,” he said.
Hunter Biden’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, said in a statement, “We are naturally disappointed by today’s verdict. We respect the jury process, and as we have done throughout this case, we will continue to vigorously pursue all the legal challenges available to Hunter.”
Jun 11, 12:27 PM 3 counts are for gun possession, false statements
The three felony counts on which Hunter Biden was convicted — all related to his purchase of a firearm in 2018 while allegedly addicted to drugs — are as follows:
Count 1: False statement in purchase of a firearm.
Count 2: False statement related to information required to be kept by federal firearms licensed dealer.
Count 3: Possession of a firearm by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.
Jun 11, 12:05 PM ‘Jill and I will always be there for Hunter,’ President Biden says
President Joe Biden said in a statement after the verdict, “As I said last week, 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.”
“So many families who have had loved ones battle addiction understand the feeling of pride seeing someone you love come out the other side and be so strong and resilient in recovery,” he said.
“As I also said last week, I will accept the outcome of this case and will continue to respect the judicial process as Hunter considers an appeal,” the president said. “Jill and I will always be there for Hunter and the rest of our family with our love and support. Nothing will ever change that.”
Jun 11, 11:54 AM Trial followed dramatic unraveling of plea deal
In July 2023, a plea deal struck between Hunter Biden and prosecutors that could have precluded this week’s trial dramatically fell apart amid the judge’s concerns over the terms of the agreement.
For the better part of three hours, U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika scrutinized nearly every facet of the plea deal. Noreika acknowledged that her probing threw “a little bit of a curveball” into the proceeding.
Hunter Biden had originally agreed to a pretrial diversion on the gun charges, with the charges being dropped if he adhered to certain terms. He had also agreed to acknowledge his failure to pay taxes on income he received in 2017 and 2018. In exchange, prosecutors would have recommended probation on those charges.
Democrats had hailed the deal as a sign of accountability while Republicans panned the details as a “sweetheart deal.”
Jun 11, 11:43 AM Hunter Biden leaves court with wife, first lady
After the reading of the verdict, Hunter Biden left court holding hands with his stepmother, first lady Jill Biden, and his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden.
His aunt and uncle, Valerie Biden and James Biden, were also at the courthouse on Tuesday.
Jun 11, 11:37 AM Hunter Biden unlikely to serve time, expert says
Hunter Biden could face up to 25 years in prison, though legal experts believe he would not serve time as a first-time and nonviolent offender.
ABC News chief legal affairs anchor Dan Abrams said that while it’s unlikely he will serve time, “the judge will have a lot of discretion.”
“This is technically a very serious crime with a very serious potential sentence,” Abrams said.
President Joe Biden told ABC News last week that he would not pardon his son. But the president also has the option to commute the sentence, Abrams noted.
“So if there is a sentence that comes down, even if he’s not officially pardoned,” there is the option to commute the sentence “down the road,” Abrams said.
Jun 11, 11:32 AM President Biden said he wouldn’t pardon son
President Joe Biden said he would not pardon his son Hunter Biden during an exclusive interview with ABC News anchor David Muir last week.
Muir asked President Biden on Thursday if he would accept the outcome of his son’s trial, to which the president said, “Yes.”
The president also said “yes” when asked by Muir if he would rule out a pardon for Hunter Biden.
Jun 11, 11:30 AM No sentencing date set
Hunter Biden sat expressionless as a court officer read the jury’s verdict form aloud to the court. After the third “guilty” rang over the courtroom speakers, he turned and hugged a member of his legal team and remained seated until jurors stood to leave.
Prosecutors Leo Wise and Derek Hines sat equally motionless throughout the short proceeding.
After Judge Maryellen Noreika excused jurors, she said she would get back in touch with the parties to schedule a sentencing date in the next 120 days. Biden could face up to 25 years in prison, though legal experts believe he would not serve time as a first-time and nonviolent offender.
Jun 11, 11:20 AM Hunter Biden found guilty on all three counts
President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden has been found guilty on all three counts in his federal gun case.
Jun 11, 11:05 AM Jury reaches verdict
The jury in Hunter Biden’s federal gun trial has reached a verdict after several hours of deliberation.
Jun 11, 9:19 AM Jury resumes deliberations
The jury has resumed its deliberations in Hunter Biden’s federal gun trial.
Before sending them back to deliberate, Judge Maryellen Noreika asked jurors if they had discussed the case with anyone.
They all promised that they had not.
Jun 11, 9:13 AM Hunter Biden arrives in court
Hunter Biden entered the Wilmington, Delaware, courthouse as jurors prepared to resume deliberations in his federal gun trial.
He was accompanied, as he has been each day of the trial, by his wife Melissa Cohen Biden.
Jun 11, 7:13 AM Jury to resume deliberations
The 12 jury members who for the past week heard vivid and personal details about President Joe Biden’s family are set to continue their deliberations this morning in the federal gun trial of his son, Hunter Biden.
In their closing arguments yesterday, prosecutors argued that Hunter Biden lied on a federal gun-purchase form when he said he was not a drug addict, telling jurors “if this evidence did not establish that Hunter Biden was a crack addict and an unlawful user, then no one is a crack addict or an unlawful user.”
But defense attorney Abbe Lowell urged the jury to acquit his client, telling them, “We have had Hunter’s life in our hands. And now we have to give it to you.”
If convicted, Hunter Biden could face up to 25 years in prison — though legal experts believe he would not serve time due to his being a first-time, nonviolent offender.
Deliberations are scheduled to resume today at 9:00 a.m. ET.
Jun 10, 5:57 PM Transcript shows Hunter Biden affirmed decision not to testify
Hunter Biden, in court today, affirmed his decision not to testify in his own defense, telling the judge “I do” when she asked him if he understood it was his own decision to make, according to the transcript of the proceedings released after court was dismissed for the day.
“Did you make a decision not to testify voluntarily?” Judge Maryellen Noreika asked him, according to the transcript.
“I did,” he said.
The questioning from Noreika occurred during a sidebar with Hunter Biden, his attorneys, and prosecutors that was conducted out of earshot of reporters but released as part of the transcript.
“You understand you have the right to testify in your own defense?” the judge asked Hunter Biden, per the transcript.
“I do,” he said.
“If you don’t testify, you understand your decision not to testify cannot be held against you and I will instruct the jury to that effect?” she asked.
“Agreed,” he responded.
“It’s your decision and yours alone to make, do you understand that?” the judge asked.
“I do,” he responded.
“It’s not your attorney’s decision, it’s not the government’s decision, it’s not my decision, you understand all that?” she asked.
“I do,” he said.
Jun 10, 4:44 PM Day 1 of jury deliberations ends with no verdict
The jurors in Hunter Biden’s federal gun trial have been dismissed for the day, after deliberating for one hour with no verdict.
Hunter Biden left the courthouse after the jury was dismissed.
The jurors will be back tomorrow at 9 a.m. ET to resume their deliberations.
Jun 10, 3:44 PM Jury begins deliberations
The jury has begun deliberations on the three felony counts Hunter Biden faces in his federal gun case.
Prior to the jury getting the case, the government rebutted defense attorney Abbe Lowell’s closing argument by asserting again that Hunter Biden was a drug addict when he bought the gun at the center of the case and that he knew it — beyond a reasonable doubt.
There are “seven ways to Sunday” to show Hunter Biden was an addict and it was “preposterous” that he — a “Yale-educated lawyer” — didn’t know he was buying a gun while knowingly addicted, prosecutor Derek Hines argued.
Hines rebutted Lowell’s characterization of the government’s treatment of Hunter Biden’s daughter Naomi Biden as “cruel.”
Naomi Biden was “completely uncomfortable” because “she couldn’t vouch for the defendant’s sobriety,” Hines argued.
Hines closed by saying that if the jury doesn’t determine Hunter Biden is a crack addict based on the evidence in the case, “then no one is a crack addict of unlawful use.”
Judge Maryellen Noreika then delivered the final portion of her instructions and sent jurors to begin their deliberations.
The judge indicated that she would not keep jurors past 4:30 or 4:45 p.m. ET today.
Jun 10, 3:00 PM Defense calls government’s case ‘conjecture and suspicion’
Defense attorney Abbe Lowell, in his closing argument, urged jurors to dispense with the government’s “conjecture and suspicion” and find his client not guilty on all three counts.
“We have had Hunter’s life in our hands” until now, Lowell said, referring to his legal team. “And now we have to give it to you.”
Lowell repeatedly referred to prosecutors’ case as a “magicians’ trick” — to “watch this hand and pay no attention to that one,” as he said — arguing that prosecutors failed to “fill in the gaps” about Hunter Biden’s drug use around the time of his firearm purchase “because they don’t have the proof.”
Lowell also referred to prosecutors’ strategy of showing Hunter Biden’s pattern of drug use as an “accordion,” meant to “compress” the timeline and make it seem to jurors that he was actively using drugs in October 2018, when he said on a government form that he was not addicted to drugs in order to purchase a Colt handgun.
The defense attorney also attacked some of the tactics prosecutors used, calling their treatment of Hunter Biden’s daughter Naomi Biden “extraordinarily cruel” and saying that many of their questions and evidence were introduced with the intention of “embarrassing Hunter.”
He also asked jurors to recall gaps in the recollections of Hunter Biden’s then-girlfriend Hallie Biden, and suggested they should remember the immunity agreement she struck with prosecutors for her testimony.
“These are serious charges that will change Hunter’s life,” he said of the three felony charges the president’s son faces, adding that “it’s time to end this case.”
Following Lowell’s closing, the government was scheduled to have a short rebuttal, at which point the judge was to finish her jury instructions before the jury gets the case.
Jun 10, 1:40 PM Evidence supports ‘only one verdict’ prosecutor tells jury
Prosecutor Leo Wise used witness testimony and Hunter Biden’s own words from his memoir and text messages to argue that the president’s son “knew exactly what he was doing” when prosecutors say he falsely claimed he was not addicted to drugs in order to purchase a Colt handgun in 2018.
“Take the defendant’s word for it,” Wise said as he showed the jury excerpts from Hunter Biden’s book that described his drug use and addiction.
Wise, showing the jurors a side-by-side comparison of testimony regarding his truck from his daughter Naomi Biden and then-girlfriend Hallie Biden, said their testimony is “circumstantial evidence ” that shows “the defendant used crack in the truck” days after purchasing the firearm.
Naomi Biden testified that she returned the truck to her father “clean” on Oct. 19, 2018, and Hallie Biden testified that a few days later she found Hunter Biden’s gun in the vehicle along with drug paraphernalia and drug remnants.
Wise also showed the jury a calendar of the month of October 2018 that showed the cash withdrawals made by Hunter Biden. “None of the cash was for rehab,” Wise said.
The evidence, Wise told jurors in conclusion, “supports only one verdict.”
Hunter Biden’s attorney Abbe Lowell then began his closing arguments.
Jun 10, 1:23 PM Hunter Biden ‘knew he was using drugs,’ prosecutor argues
Prosecutor Leo Wise, continuing his closing argument, laid out his case for conviction by telling jurors that the evidence in the case was “ugly” but “necessary” to establish Hunter Biden’s drug use during the time in question — as well as in the months before and after.
“He knew he was using drugs,” Wise told the jury, a reference to the standard the jury must reach for conviction — that Hunter Biden had to “knowingly” lie on the gun-purchase form on which he said he was not addicted to drugs.
“That’s what the evidence shows,” Wise said.
Wise emphasized repeatedly to the jury that the government is not required to show specifically that Hunter used drugs when he owned the gun from the Oct. 12-23, 2018 — but rather they must “establish that pattern.”
To that end, Wise referenced the text messages spanning back to 2015 in which Hunter Biden appeared to purchase drugs or reference his addiction, as well as the testimony from his ex-wife Kathleen Buhle and ex-girlfriend Hallie Biden, who said they either found his drug paraphernalia, saw him use drugs, or talked to him about it.
Wise also pointed to the testimony of ex-girlfriend Zoe Kestan, who testified she saw Hunter Biden using drugs in late September 2018 — just two weeks before he bought the gun.
“You can convict on that alone,” Wise told the jury.
Wise also referenced Hunter Biden’s memoir, “Beautiful Things,” saying it was a “searingly painful” but “honest” description of himself and his addiction.
The evidence showed Hunter Biden “habitually used,” Wise said.
Jun 10, 12:34 PM ‘None of that matters’ prosecutor says of large Biden contingent
Prosecutor Leo Wise began his closing argument by referencing the many Biden family members packed into the courtroom galley today.
“All of this is not evidence,” Wise said to the jury as he gestured toward the gallery where First lady Jill Biden and other members of the Biden family are jammed into the front three rows.
“You may recognize them from the news, from the community,” Wise told them. “None of that matters.”
Wise then reiterated the government’s opening remarks that no one is above the law, telling the jury that the case is no different from others — regardless “of who the defendant is.”
Jun 10, 12:14 PM Biden family members jam into courtroom
Hunter Biden came to court today with what appears to be the largest number of friends and family members yet to appear at his trial.
The first row of the gallery was so packed with members of the Biden family this morning that the security guard on the end nearly fell off. The entire first three rows and some of the fourth row were filled with friends and family members — about 25 in total.
First Lady Jill Biden, her daughter Ashley Biden, and Hunter Biden’s wife Melissa Cohen Biden sat together in the front row, with Ashley Biden at one point comforting the others by putting her arm around her mother and then patting Melissa Biden’s back.
Through the morning’s lengthy sidebars and delays, Hunter Biden repeatedly engaged with them, chatting with them and exchanging hugs when he could.
When the defense rested its case, he stood up and hugged his uncle James Biden in the front row and appeared to say, “Love you.”
After another break, he returned to the courtroom holding the first lady’s hand.
Jun 10, 11:54 AM Jury told not to judge Hunter Biden for not testifying
Judge Maryellen Noreika, in her initial instructions to jurors, explained how they are to apply the law to the facts of the case for the three criminal counts Hunter Biden faces.
“You must not attach any significance to the fact that the defendant did not testify,” she read aloud in the courtroom, after the defense decided not to call Hunter Biden to the stand.
The judge defined “knowingly,” the central term by which jurors must determine if Hunter Biden bought the gun at the center of the case “knowing” he was an addict or user of drugs, after he stated on the gun-purchase form that he was not.
Closing arguments are scheduled to begin at 12:05 p.m. ET, after which the judge will give the jury her final instructions and their deliberations will begin.
Jun 10, 11:36 AM Closing arguments up next after Hunter Biden does not testify
Closing arguments will begin at about noon ET after Hunter Biden chose not to testify in his federal gun case.
The defense rested without him taking the stand, after which prosecutors presented a brief rebuttal case, then the judge gave the jury their initial instructions.
Jun 10, 11:17 AM Judge reads initial jury instructions
Following the prosecution’s rebuttal case, the judge read the jury their initial instructions.
Court is then expected to break for lunch, with closing arguments currently scheduled for the afternoon.
The judge will then give the jury their final instructions before they begin deliberations.
Jun 10, 11:05 AM Prosecutors rest rebuttal case
The government rested its rebuttal case after a brief cross-examination of FBI special agent Erika Jensen, who testified about location and text message data relevant to the case.
Attorneys then gathered for another sidebar conference.
Jun 10, 10:54 AM FBI witness returns to witness stand
After a lengthy sidebar, overflow room cameras suddenly turned on to show prosecutors questioning a previous witness, FBI agent Erika Jensen, suggesting that the defense has rested its case and prosecutors are introducing a rebuttal case before the trial moves on to closing arguments.
If so, that would indicate that Hunter Biden did not testify in his own defense.
Jun 10, 8:40 AM Judge reviews motions regarding jury instructions
This morning’s proceedings are underway.
Judge Maryellen Noreika began by reviewing with both parties motions by the defense to change proposed jury instructions.
The jury is expected to be brought back into court at 9 a.m. ET.
Jun 10, 8:14 AM Hunter Biden arrives at courthouse
Hunter Biden has arrived at the courthouse for Day 6 of his federal gun trial, accompanied by his wife Melissa Cohen Biden.
First lady Jill Biden arrived shortly afterward.
President Joe Biden’s brother James Biden and sister Valerie Biden also arrived.
The two waited outside until the court opened at 8 a.m. ET.
Jun 10, 7:17 AM The big question: Will Hunter Biden take the stand this morning?
As the second week of Hunter Biden’s gun trial gets underway this morning, defense attorneys will confront their most consequential decision: whether to put their client on the witness stand.
To allow Hunter Biden to testify in his own defense would carry myriad risks, as the president’s son would likely face a grueling cross-examination from a prosecution team that has shows itself adept at eliciting testimony supporting their central contention in the case — that Hunter Biden was addicted to drugs at the time he purchased the handgun at heart of the case.
Jurors witnessed that on Friday, when Naomi Biden, the 30-year-old daughter of Hunter Biden, struggled to explain text messages she sent her father in October 2018 after he had purchased the gun — in which she seemed to express concern about his addiction, despite testifying moments earlier about how “great” her father seemed at the time.
If Hunter Biden decides not to take the stand, jurors could possibly have the case by the end of the day, after closing arguments and jury instructions.
Court is scheduled to get underway earlier than usual today, at 8:15 a.m. E.T.
Jun 07, 2:07 PM Defense to decide if Hunter takes stand as court breaks for weekend
In an unexpected move, court recessed for the day following the lunch break, with the defense telling the judge they are “down to that last decision” — suggesting that they will determine over the weekend if Hunter Biden takes the stand Monday in his own defense.
Defense attorney Abbe Lowell told the court the defense decided not to call one of its expert witnesses.
It also appears defense attorneys reversed course on testimony from Hunter Biden’s uncle James Biden, who was already at the courthouse and who Lowell had earlier indicated would be testifying. James Biden was subsequently seen leaving the building.
Prosecutors said they are “still considering” whether they will put on a rebuttal case after the defense rests.
Judge Maryellen Noreika dismissed the jury, telling them to “enjoy a long weekend.”
“We are starting to wrap the evidence in this case,” she said.
The parties are scheduled to be back in court Monday at 8:15 a.m. ET.
Jun 07, 1:19 PM Naomi Biden says her dad ‘seemed great’ after gun buy
Naomi Biden, the 30-year-old daughter of Hunter Biden, testified that her father “seemed great, he seemed hopeful” when she saw him on Oct. 18 or 19, 2018, in New York, where she was returning his vehicle to him — several days after he purchased the gun at the center of the case and just days before his then-girlfriend Hallie Biden discovered and discarded it.
Earlier, in August, Naomi Biden described visiting him in Los Angeles, where he was in a drug rehab program. “He seemed the clearest I’d seen him since my uncle died,” she said, referring to Hunter Biden’s brother Beau Biden.
It was important testimony for the defense in their attempt to show that Hunter Biden was not using drugs around the time of the gun purchase.
Defense counsel Abbe Lowell asked Naomi Biden about the car trip she and her then-boyfriend took from Washington, D.C., to New York in mid-October 2018 to return her father’s truck — a Ford Raptor — to him.
On cross-examination, prosecutor Leo Wise asked Naomi Biden if she ever witnessed her father using drugs — she said she had not — or whether she would know if he was using drugs based on his behavior.
“I guess not,” she said.
Wise also established that Naomi Biden did not leave any drugs or drug residue in the vehicle before returning it to her father — suggesting that the drug residue and paraphernalia Hallie Biden observed in the car days later arrived there after Hunter Biden retrieved the truck.
Jurors also saw some emotional text messages between Naomi Biden and her father during that mid-October timeframe.
“I’m really sad, I can’t take this,” she wrote her father, adding that “I really want to hang out with you.”
“I’m sorry I’ve been so unreachable,” Hunter Biden replied. “It’s not fair to you.”
On the stand, Naomi Biden spoke quietly, at one point saying, “Sorry, I’m nervous.” Her husband, Peter Neal, sat in the gallery next to first lady Jill Biden, and had his hand over his mouth for much of the testimony.
Hunter Biden appeared emotional and was seen at times touching his face during her testimony.
When her testimony concluded, she embraced her father before leaving the courtroom, and court recessed for lunch.
Jun 07, 12:22 PM Hunter Biden’s daughter Naomi takes the stand
Hunter Biden’s daughter Naomi took the stand as the defense’s third witness.
(CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.) — Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft is experiencing five “small” helium leaks as its first astronaut-crewed flight test continues, the aerospace company and NASA said in an update on Monday.
While a major milestone was reached when Starliner successfully docked and delivered two NASA astronauts at the International Space Station (ISS) on June 6, the leaks mark the latest of several hurdles faced during this mission, including previous helium leaks and a thruster issue.
Helium is used to pressurize the spacecraft’s reaction control system (RCS) maneuvering thrusters, allowing them to fire, according to Boeing.
The leaks are similar to those discovered during Starliner’s May 25 launch attempt. That launch was scrubbed after a small helium leak was discovered in the service module, which contains support systems and instruments for operating the spacecraft.
Although it’s unclear how much helium is leaking, Boeing said that engineers have evaluated the helium supply and the leak rates, and have concluded that Starliner has enough helium for its return mission.
The astronauts only need seven hours of “free-flight time” to perform the end-of-mission maneuvers and Starliner currently has enough helium for 70 hours of free-flight time, Boeing said.
“While Starliner is docked, all the manifolds are closed per normal mission operations preventing helium loss from the tanks,” read the update from the aerospace company.
Engineers are also examining a valve that is not properly closed on the RCS. All other valves cycled normally during a check on Sunday, according to the update.
Astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams are continuing to test Starliner as part of the data collection required for potential NASA certification to send regularly crewed missions to the ISS. NASA has primarily been using SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft to transport crew and cargo to the ISS.
Tests include making sure the spacecraft can power up again when it’s put in minimal power mode during missions aboard the ISS, as well as ensuring Starliner can support a crew with its own air, evaluating seats onboard, and checking the service module’s batteries, according to Boeing.
Wilmore and Williams were scheduled to return to Earth on Friday, June 14. However, the mission has been extended until June 18, pending weather and Starliner’s readiness.
“@NASA and @BoeingSpace teams set a return date of no earlier than Tuesday, June 18, for the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test,” ISS officials wrote Sunday in a post on the social platform X. “The additional time in orbit will allow the crew to perform a spacewalk on Thursday, June 13, while engineers complete #Starliner systems checkouts.”
The spacewalk will be performed by two different astronauts, but the extra days spent onboard will also allow preparations to be made for future spacewalks, NASA said on Monday.
Because Starliner’s launch and ISS docking have been completed, the final phase of the current mission will be Starliner undocking from the ISS and then adjusting its orbit to move away from the space station before re-entering Earth’s atmosphere and landing in the southwestern U.S.
ABC News’ Gina Sunseri contributed to this report.
(WILMINGTON, Del.) — A jury on Tuesday found Hunter Biden guilty on three felony charges related to his efforts to obtain a firearm in October 2018.
The president’s son had been charged with two counts related to false statements in purchasing the firearm and a third count of illegally obtaining a firearm while addicted to drugs.
Over the past week, a jury of 12 Delawareans heard vivid and personal details about President Joe Biden’s family.
Hunter Biden could face up to 25 years in prison, though legal experts believe he would not serve time as a first-time and nonviolent offender.
President Joe Biden previously told ABC News he would not pardon his son. In a statement Tuesday, he vowed to respect the jury’s decision.
“I am more grateful today for the love and support I experienced this last week from [wife Melissa Cohen Biden], my family, my friends, and my community than I am disappointed by the outcome,” Hunter Biden said in a statement after the verdict.
His attorney Abbe Lowell said they “will continue to vigorously pursue all the legal challenges available to Hunter.”
By the numbers Hunter Biden’s trial saw 13 witnesses on the stand and at least 70 exhibits entered into evidence – including more than 290 text messages the government used to make its case against the president’s son.
The testimony heard by jury stretched over five days, from last Tuesday through Friday, and then this past Monday morning.
Thirteen different witnesses testified – 10 called by the government and three by the defense. Five of those government witnesses were law enforcement or expert witnesses.
Surveillance video was also played in court.
Key prosecution witnesses Last week, prosecutors summoned his ex-wife and two of his exes to the stand in an effort to chip away at the defense’s argument that the president’s son wasn’t addicted to drugs when he filled out a form to purchase a firearm in 2018.
Hallie Biden
Hallie Biden, the widow of President Joe Biden’s late son Beau Biden, testified as a key government witness, recounting in excruciating detail the “terrible experience” of Hunter Biden’s drug addiction in the months leading up to her discovery of a firearm in his vehicle.
Prosecutors used the testimony of Hallie Biden, who was Hunter Biden’s romantic partner at the time, to attest to Hunter Biden’s drug use in October 2018, when prosecutors say Hunter Biden lied on an ATF form when he said he wasn’t using drugs at the time he purchased the firearm.
In dramatic testimony, Hallie Biden said that on the morning of Oct. 23, 2018, she went to go “clean out” Hunter’s car in hopes of helping him “deal with stuff” and possibly “get sober if she wasn’t”– but she ultimately found both a gun, remnants of drugs, and drug paraphernalia.
“What did you find, in addition to trash and clothes?” prosecutor Leo Wise asked her.
“Remnants of crack cocaine and some paraphilia,” Hallie recounted. “Oh and the gun, obviously.”
“I panicked, I wanted to get rid of them,” she told the jury.
Asked why she panicked, Hallie said ” didn’t want him to hurt himself,” referring to Hunter. She said she also worried about her kids finding the gun, saying she considered “hiding” it somewhere but was worried they would find it.
During Hallie Biden’s testimony, jurors were shown surveillance video from the grocery store that shows Hallie Biden throwing the gun into the trash.
Ex-wife, another girlfriend
Ex-girlfriend Zoe Kestan, who met Hunter Biden as a private dancer at a New York gentlemen’s club when she was 24 and he was 48, said she observed him smoking crack cocaine in late September 2018, just weeks before he walked into a Delaware gun shop and purchased a Colt Cobra revolver from Gordon Cleveland, another witness who testified on Wednesday.
Hunter Biden’s ex-wife Kathleen Buhle testified about Hunter Biden’s alcohol and drug abuse during their 25-year marriage, describing how their relationship deteriorated as her husband’s drug abuse increased.
When Hunter Biden was on crack, Buhle testified, “He was not himself.”
“He was angry, short-tempered, acting in ways he wouldn’t when he was sober,” she said.
Buhle said she would find drug “remnants in little bags” and drug paraphernalia like “a broken crack pipe” — often enough that she would search his car before allowing her daughters to use it.
She said that despite his manner when he was on crack, he nonetheless managed to “function” normally as an addict — possibly undermining the defense’s claim that “there is no such thing as a high-functioning crack addict.”
Buhle admitted during cross-examination that she never personally saw Hunter Biden use drugs.
Gun store clerk
Cleveland, the employee at the gun store who sold Hunter Biden the firearm in question, also testified, saying he watched from “about two feet” away as Hunter Biden filled out the form that asked applicants whether they were active drug users.
Cleveland testified that he watched as Hunter Biden answered several questions before he approached the drug-related question then marked the box with an “X.”
Former Delaware State Police officer
Former Delaware State Police lieutenant Millard Greer described tracking down the gun after Hallie Biden had thrown it in the trash outside the supermarket.
Greer said he reviewed surveillance footage, interviewed witnesses, and ultimately retrieved the weapon from local resident Edward Banner, who was known to “rummage through trash.”
Greer said Banner had placed the firearm in a sock along with a leather pouch containing the gun.
Banner, called as the government’s last witness of the day, corroborated much of Greer’s account, testifying he’d found the gun in a trash can outside the grocery store, stored it on a top shelf at home, and ultimately turned it over to Greer.
Key defense witnesses
Hunter’s daughter
Naomi Biden, the 30-year-old daughter of Hunter Biden, testified that she twice saw her father during the timeframe in 2018 when Hunter Biden’s attorneys said he was not actively using drugs, and each time, she testified, he “seemed great.”
“He seemed like the clearest that I had seen him since my uncle died, and he just seemed really great,” she said of an August 2018 visit to Los Angeles to see her father.
The next time she saw him, in New York, just days after he had purchased the firearm, “He seemed great, he seemed hopeful,” she said.
It was important testimony for the defense, which was attempting to convince jurors that, despite his on-again-off-again addiction in the months prior to and after his gun purchase, Hunter Biden was not actively using drugs in October 2018.
But Naomi Biden’s testimony later provided some favorable moments for the government’s case, particularly when prosecutor Leo Wise read aloud from text messages that seemed to run contrary to her claim that Hunter Biden was doing “great.”
In mid-October 2018, both Naomi and her father were in New York, attempting to exchange cars. Naomi Biden had used her father’s vehicle — the one in which, days later, Hallie Biden would find the Colt Cobra firearm — to move from Washington, D.C., to New York.
In messages he sent in the early hours of the morning of Oct. 18, 2018, Hunter Biden suggested he and Naomi Biden’s then-boyfriend meet to exchange cars at the Manhattan intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 57th Street — the intersection where, coincidentally, Trump Tower sits.
“Do you know what your father was doing at 2 o’clock in the morning and why he was asking you for the car then?” Wise asked.
“No,” she replied.
Those messages clearly upset her at the time, according to her responses, which prosecutors read aloud to jurors.
“I’m sorry daddy, I can’t take this,” she wrote. “I just miss you and want to hang out with you.”
What specific conduct precipitated charges? On Oct. 12, 2018, Hunter Biden purchased a Colt Cobra 38SPL revolver, a “speedloader” firearm accessory, and 25 rounds of ammunition from Wilmington, Delaware, gun store StarQuest Shooters & Survival Supply, according to prosecutors. In the course of doing so, he filled out a federal form and checked a box signaling that he was not abusing drugs – the document at the heart of the government’s case – despite allegedly knowing it to be untrue.
Hunter Biden allegedly possessed the firearm for less than two weeks. On Oct. 23, his then-romantic partner Hallie Biden discovered the weapon and discarded it in a dumpster outside of Janssen’s Market, a Wilmington grocery store, prosecutors allege.
He later acknowledged in his 2021 memoir “Beautiful Things” that he was addicted to crack cocaine around that time.
(TALLAHASSEE, Fla.) — A federal judge has called Florida policies restricting gender-affirming care for minors and adults “unconstitutional,” blocking the state’s policies from being enforced.
“Transgender opponents are of course free to hold their beliefs,” Judge Robert L. Hinkle said in the 105-page decision on Florida’s SB 254 and similar Boards of Medicine rules. “But they are not free to discriminate against transgender individuals just for being transgender.”
Hinkle wrote in his decision Tuesday, that bans on puberty blockers and hormone therapy for minors “even when medically appropriate” for treatment of “gender dysphoria” is “unconstitutional.”
The lawsuit did not challenge the state’s prohibition on surgery for minors and the decision does not address it, Hinkle wrote.
Hinkle also blocked parts of the Florida Board of Medicine and Board of Osteopathic Medicine rules that restrict transgender adult care, including mandatory consent forms that “include false and misleading statements” and “interfere with the physician-patient relationship and an appropriate informed consent process.”
The board’s rules also exclude non-physicians from administering care, require certain procedures and more follow-up appointments for all patients regardless of their individual needs, and more. These restrictions on gender-affirming care treatments, and others, have now been declared unenforcable.
“I’m so relieved the court saw there is no medical basis for this law—it was passed just to target transgender people like me and try to push us out of Florida,” plaintiff Lucien Hamel, an adult transgender patient, said in a statement Tuesday. “This is my home. I’ve lived here my entire life. This is my son’s home. I can’t just uproot my family and move across the country. The state has no place interfering in people’s private medical decisions, and I’m relieved that I can once again get the health care that I need here in Florida.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed SB 254 in May 2023.
In a statement to ABC News, DeSantis’ office said that they will appeal the ruling.
“Through their elected representatives, the people of Florida acted to protect children in this state, and the Court was wrong to override their wishes,” the statement read. “We disagree with the Court’s erroneous rulings on the law, on the facts, and on the science. As we’ve seen here in Florida, the United Kingdom, and across Europe, there is no quality evidence to support the chemical and physical mutilation of children.”
Florida’s medical boards passed rules on transgender care in March 2023.
Some supporters of restrictions on gender-affirming care for minors say that young people should wait until they’re older to make these decisions about their health.
The lawsuit, filed in July 2023, against state officials over the policies was brought by families and patients impacted by the decision, who were backed by LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, including the Human Rights Campaign, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and more.
(NEW YORK) — The Nathan’s Fourth of July hot dog eating contest no longer cuts the mustard for all-time eating great Joey Chestnut.
The 16-time winner of the contest, including every year since 2016, will not be competing at this year’s contest, according to Major League Eating. And it’s all over his decision to endorse vegan hot dogs instead of Nathan’s.
“We are devastated to learn that Joey Chestnut has chosen to represent a rival brand that sells plant-based hot dogs rather than competing in the 2024 Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest,” Major League Eating said in a statement.
Nathan’s, the venerable Coney Island hot dog brand, has long required eaters not to endorse a rival brand if they are going to compete in the country’s most famous eating contest.
“MLE and Nathan’s went to great lengths in recent months to accommodate Joey and his management team, agreeing to the appearance fee and allowing Joey to compete in a rival unbranded hot dog eating contest on Labor Day,” Major League Eating said in a statement. “For nearly two decades we have worked under the same basic hot dog exclusivity provisions. However, it seems that Joey and his managers have prioritized a new partnership with a different hot dog brand over our long-time relationship.”
Chestnut, 40, won the contest every year from 2007 to 2014 and then every year from 2016 to 2023. Matt Stone won the contest in 2015, eating 62 dogs to Chestnut’s 60.
Chestnut still holds the record for most hot dogs — and buns — consumed in 10 minutes with 76 eaten in 2021.
Major League Eating said it will still take back the hot dog eating champ — if he drops his other endorsement deal.
“Joey Chestnut is an American hero,” the league said. “We would love nothing more than to have him at the Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest, which he has dominated for years. We hope that he returns when he is not representing a rival brand.”
The Nathan’s contest has been held every Fourth of July since 1979.
(WASHINGTON) — Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign, and many of the former president’s Republican allies, are seizing on Hunter Biden’s conviction to escalate attacks on President Joe Biden.
The Trump team, shortly after the guilty verdict was handed down in the younger Biden’s federal gun trial, sought to shift focus, without evidence, to claims about the family’s alleged foreign business dealings.
“This trial has been nothing more than a distraction from the real crimes of the Biden Crime Family, which has raked in tens of millions of dollars from China, Russia and Ukraine,” Karoline Leavitt, the Trump campaign’s national press secretary, said in a statement. “Crooked Joe Biden’s reign over the Biden Family Criminal Empire is all coming to an end on November 5th, and never again will a Biden sell government access for personal profit.”
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, who is leading the GOP’s stalled impeachment inquiry into President Biden, offered similar unfounded claims.
“Today’s verdict is a step toward accountability but until the Department of Justice investigates everyone involved in the Bidens’ corrupt influence peddling schemes that generated over $18 million in foreign payments to the Biden family, it will be clear department officials continue to cover for the Big Guy, Joe Biden,” Comer said.
Republicans have long alleged wrongdoing in Hunter Biden and James Biden’s overseas business affairs, and that President Biden was involved, but have yet to yield any concrete evidence against the president.
Rep. Elise Stefanik, the No. 3 House Republican, said the verdict against Hunter Biden was “step one” and that the party “will continue” to investigate the family.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Florida Republican who supported Trump at his criminal trial in New York, also expressed dissatisfaction with the gun trial charges.
“No one, including Joe Biden’s son, is above the law,” she said. “It’s time the DOJ takes action on Hunter Biden for using his father’s position to make millions of dollars from foreign influence peddling and even lying to Congress about it.”
Hunter Biden was indicted in September by special counsel David Weiss on two counts related to false statements in purchasing the firearm and a third count of illegally obtaining a firearm while addicted to drugs. The indictment came after a plea deal with the federal government fell apart.
The failed plea agreement was highly criticized by Republicans, who on Tuesday to continue to call it a “sweetheart deal.”
“They want you to forget DOJ was giving Hunter Biden a sweetheart deal with FULL immunity for ALL crimes against the United States until the Judge asked questions,” said Sen. Eric Schmitt, a Missouri Republican.
After a weeklong trial, a jury found the younger Biden guilty on all three counts after just three hours of deliberation.
In a statement, his attorney Abbe Lowell said they will continue to pursue legal avenues available to challenge the outcome.
President Biden, in his first comment on the conviction, expressed love for his son and said he respected the verdict and judicial process.
“Jill and I will always be there for Hunter and the rest of our family with our love and support,” President Biden said. “Nothing will ever change that.”
ABC News’ Soorin Kim and Allison Pecorin contributed to this report.
(DETROIT) — Three lottery players calling themselves The Breakfast Club have won one of the largest lottery jackpots in U.S. history.
Michigan Lottery Commissioner Suzanna Shkreli announced at a Tuesday morning press conference that The Breakfast Club had won the Michigan Lottery’s $842.4 million Powerball jackpot – the fifth-largest Powerball jackpot ever won and the tenth-largest lottery jackpot won in U.S. history, according to the Michigan Lottery, as well as the second-largest lottery win in Michigan history.
Shkreli said The Breakfast Club, who have chosen not to identify themselves publicly, had elected to take their winnings as a lump-sum payment of $425.2 million, or about $305 million after taxes.
The announcement came nearly six months after the winning ticket was purchased on New Year’s Day.
In a statement read by their attorney, Mark Harder, The Breakfast Club said they chose to wait before collecting their winnings to “ensure we have the right team of advisors in place to help us decide the best way to move forward.”
Harder added that the winners were now looking forward to not only their lives being a bit easier, but also to sharing their “life-changing” newfound wealth with family members, as well as supporting “certain issues and organizations we hold in our hearts that we’ll now be able to support in real and meaningful ways,” according to the winners’ statement.
The winners also were “considering buying a place in Florida when the Michigan winters get to be a bit too much,” the statement noted.
The press conference took place in front of the Food Castle convenience store in Grand Blanc, which was awarded $50,000 for selling the winning ticket. Owner Bill Nannoshi said the money would be divided among the store’s employees, all of whom would “donate every dollar” to community causes, including local food pantries.
The Breakfast Club win is the first time the lottery has been won on New Year’s Day since the game started in 1992, according to Powerball officials. The numbers drawn were 12, 21, 42, 44, 49 and the Powerball was 1. The power play was 3x.
The record for the largest lottery jackpot won in Michigan belongs to the $1.05 billion Mega Millions jackpot winner in January 2021.
(WILMINGTON, Del.) — A Delaware woman who was on the jury for Hunter Biden’s federal trial told ABC News that the case was “a waste of taxpayers’ dollars,” but in the end she and her fellow jurors were able to come together with little disagreement.
The 51-year-old juror, who asked not to be identified, said President Joe Biden’s son needed help for his addictions and did not need to receive any prison time for his convictions.
“I don’t think that anyone who is a nonviolent drug addict should be in prison. Just fine him. We know he did something wrong. Just fine him. He needs help,” she said.
It took the jury less than a day to come to their decision to convict Hunter Biden of two counts related to false statements in purchasing the firearm and a count of illegally obtaining a firearm while addicted to drugs.
The juror said politics were not a factor in the decision and the jury worked well, “considering who his father is and the political climate in this country.”
“It turned out better than I expected. There was no fighting in the jury room,” she said.
“When we took [the] first vote on count one we were split 50-50, but then when we went down and read each count and you broke it down and you heard each person’s opinion, that made sense,” the juror plained. “That’s why we found him guilty on all three.”
The key evidence was the text messages between Hunter Biden and others before and following the gun purchase.
“It did show in my opinion that he was trying to get drugs,” she said.
The juror said that no other jurors brought up Hunter Biden’s addiction or mental health problems during the deliberations.
She reiterated that she felt that Hunter Biden should get help for those issues.
