Griner builds defense

WNBA star Brittney Griner said she presented a U.S. doctor’s letter to the Russian court Friday recommending that she use medical cannabis to treat pain. On Friday, Griner’s lawyers also submitted tests she took as part of an anti-doping check showing she hadn’t used any prohibited substances. Griner pleaded guilty last week in Russian court to possessing a canister of cannabis oil, but said she had no criminal intent. If convicted, she faces up to ten years in prison for trafficking drugs. Less than one percent of defendants are acquitted in Russian court. 

When will she get a verdict? Admitting guilt doesn’t end a trial in Russia. Court hearings will focus on witnesses testifying to her good character and athletic prowess. U.S. President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have said they are trying to win Griner’s release. Russian media has speculated that Griner and other U.S. detainees in Russia could be swapped for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout — referred to as “the Merchant of Death,” who is serving a 25-year sentence in the U.S.

Dig deeper: Read Evgeny Kosykh’s report in WORLD Magazine about Russians speaking out against their government.