Hunter Biden’s ex-wife Kathleen Buhle and a woman he was later involved in a romantic relationship both testified Wednesday in his federal gun trial after his attorney aimed to cast doubt on the authenticity of personal messages allegedly from his personal devices via CBS News.
Buhle was married to Hunter Biden for 20 years and shares three daughters with him. The other two people who are testifying are Zoe Kestan, who was involved with Hunter Biden around 2017-2018, and Hallie Biden. Hallie Biden, the widow of Hunter Biden’s brother Beau, was involved with Hunter and found and discarded the gun at the center of the case.
Buhle’s questioning round was brief with Kestan, who has an immunity agreement with prosecutors, testifying next. Buhle testified that she encountered Hunter while they were still married after she found a “crack pipe,” and she said he confirmed his drug use to her, although she said she never saw him use drugs.
Defense attorney Abbe Lowell aimted earlier Wednesday to cast doubt on the authenticity of personal messages allegedly from Hunter Biden’s personal devices. Under questioning from Lowell, FBI special agent Erika Jensen stated that she could not verify the contents of Hunter Biden’s laptop admitted into evidence were not tampered with before law enforcement collected it from the Mac repair shop.
Hunter Biden has also been charged with three felonies stemming from his purchase of a revolver in October 2018. He is accused of making false statements on a federal gun form about his drug use, certifying he was not a user of or addicted to any controlled substance during a period when prosecutors allege he was addicted to crack cocaine. He had the gun for 11 days before Hallie Biden discarded the weapon.
Hunter Biden has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Buhle was married to Hunter Biden for 20 years and shares three daughters with him.
It has been noted that Buhle said she found a “crack pipe” in 2015 and Hunter Biden confirmed to her that he used drugs. She described regularly searching his car for drugs to dodge drugs being inside when their teenage children were driving. She also stated that she tried to get him to go to rehab near the end of their marriage but he initially refused although he eventually complied.
Buhle said Hunter’s demeanor had changed when he was using drugs, “he was not himself,” adding he would be “angry, short tempered.” He said he was able to function while on drugs but would hide his use from family and friends.
Buhle testified that Hunter Biden moved out after she found the crack pipe, and they separated after the alleged infidelity.
