KHIMKI, Russia – American basketball star Brittney Griner returned to court on Tuesday to face trial on marijuana possession charges amid US diplomatic efforts to secure her release.
During the hearing, prosecutors called a state drug expert who analyzed the marijuana found in Griner’s luggage. Her defense met with an expert who challenged the analysis, accusing it of being flawed and not following official rules.
If convicted, the WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist could face up to 10 years in prison. As her trial progresses, the Biden administration has faced growing public pressure to get her released.
Sources told ESPN’s TJ Quinn that Sentencing and Sentence slated for August 5.
In an unusual move, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken last week talking to his Russian counterpartSergey Lavrov, urged him to accept a deal under which Griner and Paul Whelan, an American detained in Russia on espionage charges, would be freed.
Lavrov-Blinken’s phone call marked the highest-level known contact between Washington and Moscow since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine more than five months ago, a direct approach that contrasts with US efforts to target her. establish the Kremlin.
People familiar with the proposal said they envisioned trading Griner and Whelan for notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout. It underscores the public pressure the White House faces to free Griner.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Monday that Russia had issued a “malicious” response to the US government’s proposal, a rebuttal that US officials did not consider serious. She refused to explain.
Griner has admitted to having vape canisters containing cannabis oil in her luggage when she was arrested at a Moscow airport in February. But she insisted that she has no intention of committing a crime and that the boxes ended up in her luggage because she was packing in a hurry. Griner played for a Russian women’s basketball team in the off-season WNBA.
To bolster her case, her defense attorneys presented testimony from doctors that she had been prescribed marijuana as a pain-relieving treatment. Medical marijuana treatment is not legal in Russia.
While judges have plenty of time to consider mitigating factors under Russian law, acquittals are rare and account for less than 1% of cases in Russian criminal prosecutions.
However, a conviction could pave the way for Griner’s exchange as Russian officials say it could only happen after the trial is complete.
Tom Firestone, a Washington attorney who previously served as legal counsel at the US Embassy in Moscow, said Griner could be given a tough sentence as a way for the Russians to “maximize leverage.” theirs in the negotiations.” He told the Associated Press that Russia “may want to let this go a little longer and try to win more concessions.”
Russian officials have ridiculed the US statements about the incident, saying they show a lack of respect for Russian law. They remained confrontational, urging Washington to discuss the issue through “silent diplomacy without speculative disclosure.”
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
