Jury selection for firearms case begins today

During the trial, Biden appeared focused on the proceedings, leaning forward with his elbows on the table and resting his chin and face on his clasped hands, looking at the jury and the judge, and occasionally speaking to his lawyers.

Weiss arrived in court after the first break and stayed throughout. He sat in the front row behind the prosecutors, relaxed, with his back to the wall and looking up at the ceiling, the jury or the press.

Jurors appeared to be listening intently, with most of them staring at their written jury instructions as they listened to the judge.

The prosecution’s first witness will be FBI Special Agent Erica Jensen.

Today’s trial has concluded. Opening statements will begin tomorrow.

Jurors will come into the trial with some background in gun ownership and struggles with substance abuse.

Juror No. 26, a middle-aged black man who holds a concealed carry permit, said he “believes the Second Amendment is very important.” Other jurors also said they have relatives who own guns.

Juror #39 described how his brother struggled with PCP and heroin, but did not appear to be close to him. When asked if his brother still struggled with drug addiction, the juror replied, “Last time I checked, yes.” People with drug addictions shouldn’t own guns, he said.

Juror No. 38 said his childhood best friend died of a heroin overdose, but that death would not affect his ability to evaluate evidence of Biden’s addiction.

The jury is seated. The jury was sworn in at 4:20 PM. Final jury list: Jurors 3, 5, 16, 19, 20, 26, 31, 33, 34, 37, 38, 39. Alternate jurors: 50, 52, 53, 65. There are six men and six women on the jury. All four alternate jurors are women.

Potential jurors who are not selected will be excused from deliberations for that day.

The potential jurors are numbers 1 through 47 who have not been dismissed or excused.

The defense has 10 summary dismissals, and the government has 6. The defense will dismiss two cases, followed by the prosecution’s dismissal, three times, after which they will alternate dismissing one case each.

Additionally, two strikes are awarded for each substitute.

Juror No. 65, a former donor to Barack Obama, said she could remain impartial even though Joe Biden served as Obama’s vice president. She remained on the jury.

Juror No. 63 meets the qualifications. She said her daughter and son-in-law are both corrections officers and own guns. She also said they donated to Trump’s 2016 campaign.

Potential juror No. 62 said he knew Hunter Biden and Beau Biden’s widow, Hallie Biden, and that he knew Beau as well.

“Wilmington is a small town,” she said. “Beau was a family friend. We will miss him.”

The juror was excused after Judge Noreika’s case manager alerted the court that the potential juror was her cousin.

Potential juror No. 61 was not required to answer questions from attorneys and was dismissed solely based on family ties to the court.