Washington, Oct 5 (AP) Prosecutors who filed firearms charges against Hunter Biden have moved to formally dismiss a gun count that had been part of a collapsed plea deal.

The procedural step removes a charge alleging he broke a law against drug users having guns when he bought a gun in 2018, during a period he has acknowledged struggling with addiction.

Also Read | Ousted House Speaker Kevin McCarthy Latest Victim of Former President Donald Trump-Led 'Extremist' GOP, Says US Media.

The president's son is now facing a three-count indictment focused on the same purchase that includes both gun possession and false statement charges. No new tax counts have yet been filed by special counsel David Weiss, who is overseeing the case.

Hunter Biden had been expected to avoid prosecution on the gun charge and plead guilty to misdemeanour tax counts in an agreement with prosecutors. But the deal collapsed after a judge raised questions about it in a July hearing and the new indictment was filed weeks later.

Also Read | Forbes 400 Richest Americans List 2023: Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk Tops Forbes' 400 Richest People in US, Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos Ranks Second.

Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to the charges on Tuesday as the case moves toward a potential trial with the 2024 election looming. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)