Hunter Biden’s sister Ashley leaves court in tears as trial hears about his extensive drug use

Hunter Biden’s sister, Ashley Biden, appeared to leave the courtroom in tears on Tuesday as jurors heard lengthy details about his prior drug use.

Ashley Biden and First Lady Jill Biden were among more than a dozen family members and friends who showed up to support the president’s son on the first day of his trial in Wilmington, Delaware.

Biden is accused of lying on a federal firearm form about his prior drug use to unlawfully obtain a handgun in October 2018.

Biden, 54, who sought treatment for his substance use disorder, has pleaded not guilty to three gun-related charges.

The first lady placed an arm around her daughter who became visibly upset when prosecutors played clips from Biden’s 2021 memoir Beautiful Things as FBI agent Erika Jensen, the first witness, explained that she had used the book to understand the extent of his drug use.

The president’s son entered the courthouse hand in hand with his wife Melissa Cohen Biden on Tuesday morning ahead of opening arguments. The trial is expected to last up to two weeks.

At the start of the day, Judge Maryellen Noreika informed the court that an alternate juror would be stepping in for one of the original 12 after a woman asked to be removed overnight as she lives far from the courthouse without a car, and was unaware she would need to be present every day.

“No one is above the law,” federal prosecutor Derek Hines said during opening statements. “Nobody is allowed to lie, not even Hunter Biden.”

The prosecutor said that Biden had “lied in a federal form on a background check” and needed to be held accountable.

“Addiction may not be a choice, but lying and buying a gun is a choice,” Hines said.

Witnesses would include an FBI agent, law enforcement officials in