DEA agent acknowledges he's not involved in this case
Hunter Biden's attorney Abbe Lowell began his cross-examination of DEA agent Romig by telling him, "I’d like if I can in the time I’m here to talk about this case, and not generalities," This was an apparent swipe at prosecutor Derek Hines for asking about generalities of drug use in America.
Romig said, “Nothing that I’ve reviewed would indicate” Hunter Biden was a distributor of drugs.
“I didn’t look into anybody in this investigation,” Romig added. “I did not do anything as a DEA agent” regarding this case.
Prosecutor asks about Hunter Biden's reference to the market rate for crack
Prosecutor Derek Hines asked about a message from Hunter Biden referring to $600 for 10 grams of crack cocaine being the market rate.
When Hunter Biden texted a picture of a white substance on a scale, saying “under any value known to any market in the world what I paid is 60% greater” he was “clearly upset that the amount is much less than he paid for,” Romig said.
The amount of $600 for 10 grams is "pretty significantly higher than the fair market value,” DEA agent Romig said, adding that sellers “100%” size up what buyers are willing to pay.
Romig also told the court that he’s been watching the proceedings from the overflow room and has been listening to the other prosecution witnesses who’ve testified about Hunter Biden’s drug use.
DEA agent testifies about coded language Hunter Biden used for drugs
Prosecutor Derek Hines had DEA agent Romig read through Hunter Biden's messages that have been previously introduced as evidence to testify about coded language used during drug deals.
When he texted about “baby powder” he was using a “rudimentary, pretty standard cocaine code,” said Romig.
What does “party favor” mean? “Generally drugs.”
Hines finished up with Romig by showing him various texts, photos and videos that we’ve seen in this trial. Romig identified crack pipes, crack cocaine and scales in photos and videos.
Romig has provided lots of explanation for the jury on drug terms and what exactly is in these photos. In one of the texts in evidence, the word “Fenten” comes up. Hines asked what that meant. Romig said it’s a reference to fentanyl, the “most dangerous drug in America today.”
Prosecutor asks DEA agent about the difference between crack and cocaine
Prosecutor Derek Hines asked DEA agent Joshua Romig about the difference between crack and cocaine.
Crack is “a more easily smokeable form of cocaine,” Romig said, explaining that crack is actually more pure than powder cocaine because the cooking process removes any cutting agents that dealers may have added to increase the bulk of the cocaine.
Prosecution calls DEA agent, likely its final witness, to the stand
After Brewer exited the stand, the prosecution called who it had indicated would be its final witness, Joshua Romig of the DEA. Romig said of his experience that drug investigations are “pretty much all I’ve done for the last quarte-century.”
He testified about his career of investigating drug cases, first for the Baltimore Police Department and now at the DEA.
“We want to target the high-level drug traffickers” at the DEA, he said.
Forensic chemist says lab tests were done years after gun incident
Defense lawyer David Kolansky conducted the cross-examination of Brewer. This was the first cross-examination that wasn't done by Abbe Lowell.
Kolansky tried to convey two points in his cross-examination: There was a “minimal amount of residue” in the pouch, and that the first lab test was done in October 2023, five years after the initial incident and after charges had been filed in this case. Brewer confirmed that no tests had been done before October 2023, to his knowledge.
Kolansy asked, “You can’t date when the residue got there, or who put it there?”
“I cannot,” Brewer said.
Kolansky then discussed the chain of custody issues with this pouch.
“It came in strictly for chemistry exams,” Brewer said of the pouch, admitting he did not do any DNA or fingerprint tests on the pouch.
Brewer said he could not identify when the cocaine residue got into the pouch, who put it there or how long it had been there.
Forensic chemist says white powder on Hunter Biden's pouch tested for cocaine
Forensic chemist James Brewer testified that he found white powder in Hunter Biden's pouch and that it tested positive for cocaine.
After Judge Noreika qualified Brewer as an expert witness, prosecutor Leo Wise handed him the brown leather pouch and asked him to confirm it was the one he had previously examined.
“I found a minimal amount of white powder” in and on the pouch, he testified.
Wise asked him if there is a test that can determine when a drug was placed on an item or who had placed it there. Brewer said there is not.
Wise introduced photos into evidence that showed a zoomed-in view of the trace amounts of white powder found in the pouch. Brewer then explained to the jury about the two different tests that he ran on the powder to determine what it was.
“Cocaine was identified within the residual white powder that I sampled,” he said.
Who is Jason Brewer?
Dr. Jason Brewer, who is testifying today, worked at the FBI lab in Quantico, Virginia, for about 20 years and currently works as a forensic examiner in the FBI’s chemistry unit. He has testified about 25 different times as an expert witness, he said, and has examined thousands of items over his career.
'An amazing family': Lots of loved ones in court for Hunter Biden today
Valerie Biden Owens, President Joe Biden's sister, and her husband spent the minutes before court started today hand in hand and sometimes her husband, Jack Owens, had his arm over her shoulders. She was wearing black sunglasses inside.
Friends and family took up more than 2 rows of the courtroom gallery, behind the defense table. Jill Biden, Melissa Cohen-Biden, Kevin Morris, Valerie Biden Owens and Jack Owens were among those in court.
When defense lawyer Abbe Lowell walked into the courtroom, he spent a few minutes chatting with Valerie Biden Owens. “You have an amazing family,” Lowell told her.
When Hunter Biden walked in, he kissed his wife before heading to the defense table.
Trial starts with forensic chemist on the stand
The trial has started for the day and forensic chemist Dr. Jason Brewer has taken the witness stand.
He is expected to testify about his analysis of the residue on the brown leather pouch Hunter Biden had used, and his opinion that the residue was cocaine based on his testing and examination of that evidence.