A Vancouver, Wash. man pleaded not guilty to a charge of illegally firing a shotgun outside of his house on Wednesday. His defense? “I did what Joe Biden told me to do.”
Jeffery Barton, 52, was arrested for firing his gun in the early hours of Monday morning, as reported by CBS affiliate KOIN 6 News. Barton said he was trying to chase away people he suspected were breaking into his vehicles.
“I just woke up at 3 in the morning and noticed that that dome lights were on in my car, and there were three people outside,” Barton said.
Outside of the courtroom on Wednesday, Barton used advice given by the Vice President in his defense.
“I did what Joe Biden told me to do,” Barton told KOIN. “I went outside and fired my shotgun in the air.”
Barton was referring to a question and answer session Biden had with Parents Magazine in February, during which the Veep said, “If you want to protect yourself, get a double-barreled shotgun.”
Biden said he has told his wife, “If there’s ever a problem, just walk out on the balcony here … put that double-barreled shotgun and fire two blasts outside the house.”
The prosecutors said that Barton did not have the right to fire the gun because there was no evidence of intruders on his property, although deputies are investigating whether a teen party at a neighbors house that night had any connection to the incident.
KOIN also reported that Washington law requires firearms can only be fired in self-defense in a life-threatening situation, according to prosecutors and sheriff’s department deputies.
Barton’s next court appearance has not yet been scheduled.
