Hunter Biden's defense cites sawdust mistaken for cocaine as prosecution blunder
(The Center Square) – Prosecutors said it was cocaine, but Hunter Biden, the president's son, has hit back alleging they submitted a photo of sawdust to try to show the strength of their case that he was addicted to cocaine when he bought a revolver in violation of federal law.
"Mistaking sawdust for cocaine sounds more like a storyline from one of the 1980s Police Academy comedies than what should be expected in a high-profile prosecution by the U.S. Department of Justice," Hunter Biden's defense team wrote.
They said the photo, which depicts three lines shown in a mirror, was taken by a master carpenter. The man picked carpentry over cocaine and sent the photo to a therapist to show he had chosen to be a master carpenter rather than evidence that Biden was using drugs when he owned the revolver.
Despite the cheeky response, prosecutors have said they have plenty of evidence.
Special counsel David Weiss indicted Hunter Biden in September in federal court in Delaware on three counts tied to the possession of a gun while using drugs. Two of the counts involve allegations that he allegedly lied on a form attesting that he was not using illegal drugs when he bought a .38 Special Colt Cobra revolver in October 2018. The third count alleges that he possessed a firearm while using illegal drugs.
"After the defendant's then-girlfriend discovered and discarded his gun, and after he became aware that local authorities had seized his gun, speed loader, and ammunition, and after the defendant announced his awareness of a federal investigation of him in 2020, the defendant chose to author and sell a book in 2021 in which he made countless incriminating statements about his years-long drug usage, including during the time period he purchased and possessed the gun," prosecutors wrote. "He recounted his interaction with a drug dealer who pointed a gun at him during a drug deal before he decided to buy his own gun. Investigators also obtained messages from his Apple iCloud account in which he discussed buying thousands of dollars' worth of crack while also taking videos of himself weighing crack and smoking it. Furthermore, a chemist was able to confirm the presence of cocaine residue on the brown leather pouch in which defendant stored his firearm."
Hunter Biden's attorney has said Republican interference at the U.S. Department of Justice prompted the gun charges against President Joe Biden's son.
Hunter Biden's previous plea deal on gun and tax fraud charges fell apart in July after last-minute disagreements over the degree to which Hunter Biden could face future charges for other alleged crimes still possibly under investigation. That plea deal revolved around alleged tax crimes and a single gun charge. The new indictment includes three separate charges related to Hunter's possession of the gun.
If convicted, Hunter Biden faces up to 10 years in prison on the first two counts and five years on the third count.