Brittney Griner's trial for possession of cannabis on entering Russia continues

Basketball star Brittney Griner returned to a Russian court this week, as her trial for possession of cannabis when she entered the country earlier this year continues. Griner, WNBA champion and Olympic gold medallist, was arrested at Moscow airport in February after customs officers found vape cartridges containing less than a gram of cannabis oil in his luggage.

Wearing handcuffs, Griner was escorted into the courtroom in Khimki, a Moscow suburb, for the seventh hearing of the trial and placed in a cage reserved for defendants. During her confinement, she held up personal photos for those present in the courtroom to see.

Griner pleaded guilty and admitted to having brought the THC cartridges with her in Russia, although she said she didn't know exactly how they had ended up in her luggage. She also told the court that she had no intention of violating Russian law.

Defense challenges evidence against Griner

During Tuesday's hearing, Griner's lawyers challenged the analysis of the cannabis cartridges and questioned the prosecution witness, Alexander Korablyov, who examined the cartridges taken from Griner's luggage. The defense also presented an expert witness who stated that the analysis of the cartridges had not been carried out in accordance with Russian law.

«The examination does not comply with the law in terms of the completeness of the study and does not meet the standards of the Code of Criminal Procedure,» forensic chemist Dmitry Gladyshev said at the hearing, which lasted about two hours, according to a CNN report.

After the hearing, Mr. Blagovolina stated that the analysis was not compliant because it did not establish the THC percentage of the’cannabis oil contained in the cartridges. Another lawyer representing the basketball star, Aleksandr Boikov, said that 'it would be wrong to establish the exact amount» of cannabis the cartridges contained based on Korablyov's analysis.

Griner's defense team also presented evidence to the court showing that she had obtained a doctor's recommendation to use medical marijuana legally in Arizona.

«There are a lot of factors that will be taken into account by the court,» Blagovolina told reporters after Tuesday's hearing, adding that Griner «admitted that she brought something, but we need to know what she brought.»

Griner's trial continues today as the lawyers are expected to make their closing statements. Blagovolina said Griner is focused but nervous as the verdict approaches.

«She knows the end is near, and of course she's heard the news, so she hopes that one day she'll be able to go home, and we hope so too,» added Ms Blagovolina.

Elizabeth Rood, Charge d'Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, attended Tuesday's hearing. After the hearing, she said that the United States would «continue to support Miss Griner every step of the way and for as long as it takes to bring her safely back to the United States».

United States offers prisoner exchange

Despite her guilty plea, Griner is considered «wrongfully detained» by the US State Department. A conviction in this case could allow Griner to be released as part of a potential prisoner exchange between Russia and the United States.

Last week, President Joseph Biden's administration revealed that the US government had offered to exchange Griner and his compatriot Paul Whelan, a former US marine detained in Russia for espionage, for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Monday that Russia had responded in «bad faith» to the US government's offer. Without elaborating, she said U.S. officials do not consider Russia's counteroffer serious. Asked about the Biden administration's latest comments on the Russian counter-offer, Russian government spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to provide details.