WNBA’s Brittney Griner goes on trial in Russian court

Four and a half months after her detention on marijuana oil allegations while returning to play for a Russian team, American basketball player Brittney Griner began her trial on Friday amid sour ties between Moscow and Washington.

the Phoenix Mercury center and two-time Olympic gold medalist had his most lengthy public encounter with media since his February arrest at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport after being deferred until July 7 of this year.

Handcuffed and wearing a Jimi Hendrix T-shirt, Griner, 31, was led into the Khimki courthouse in Moscow’s capital. Detention was prolonged for six months at a closed-door preliminary hearing on Monday.

When she was apprehended at the airport, police say she had vape canisters with cannabis oil in them. Depending on the circumstances, she might be sentenced to 10 years in jail if found guilty of large-scale drug transportation.

In Russian criminal prosecutions, less than 1% of defendants are acquitted, and acquittals can be reversed, unlike in the United States.

A statement made by Griner in court was reported by the state-owned Tass news agency as indicating that she understood the allegations but would reserve additional comments until after the hearing.