Attorneys for Hunter Biden, President Joe Biden’s son, have accused federal prosecutors of damaging Hunter’s reputation by releasing a photograph depicting lines of sawdust, which they allege were misrepresented as cocaine. Hunter Biden faces three felony charges related to making false statements to a gun dealer and possessing a firearm while using drugs. His attorneys accused special counsel David Weiss of engaging in an “unnecessary fight about tangential issues” and raised concerns about investigative techniques, including the prosecution’s reliance on a leather pouch with alleged cocaine residue and the misrepresentation of sawdust as cocaine in a photograph.
Hunter Biden has pleaded not guilty to the charges, which carry a potential prison sentence of up to 25 years if convicted. The defense attorneys criticized the prosecution’s handling of discovery materials, alleging that prosecutors were “gun-shy” about confirming they met their obligations. They also questioned the delay in testing evidence related to the leather pouch for narcotics.
The defense team pointed to a photograph included in a court filing by Weiss, which purportedly showed lines of apparent cocaine, but Hunter’s attorneys claimed it was sent to him by his psychiatrist, depicting lines of sawdust, not cocaine. They accused the prosecution of being “reckless” and making a “hyperbolic and sensational claim” that could prejudice Hunter Biden in the public eye.
Additionally, the defense raised concerns about allegations made by FBI informant Alexander Smirnov, who provided false information about Hunter Biden’s involvement with Ukrainian energy company Burisma. The defense argued that Smirnov’s false allegations tainted the investigation, and they demanded more information about Weiss’s handling of the case.
Hunter Biden’s legal team asserted that the case should be dismissed, alleging that Weiss had gone to “extreme lengths” to bring charges that wouldn’t be filed against someone else. Weiss’s office did not comment on the allegations.
