By JIM HEINTZ
KHIMKI, Russia (AP) — The drug trial of American basketball star Brittney Griner in a Russian court docket targeted Tuesday on testimony that hashish, whereas unlawful in Russia, is regarded in different nations as having authentic medicinal use.
Griner acknowledged in court docket earlier this month that she was carrying vape canisters containing hashish oil when she was arrested in February at a Moscow airport. But she contends she had no prison intent and that the canisters ended up in her baggage inadvertently due to hasty packing.
“We are not arguing that Brittney took it here as a medicine. We are still saying that she involuntarily brought it here because she was in a rush,” protection legal professional Alexander Boykov stated after the listening to.
Another member of Griner’s protection group beforehand submitted a U.S. physician’s letter recommending the basketball participant use medical hashish to deal with ache. During Tuesday’s court docket session, a Russian neuropsychologist testified about worldwide use of medicinal hashish.
“The Russian public has to know, and the Russian court in the first place has to know, that it was not used for recreational purposes in the United States. It was prescribed by a doctor,” lawyer Boykov stated.
A Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated final week that the legalization of hashish for medical and leisure use in components of the U.S. had no bearing on what occurs in Russia.
Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, pleaded responsible to drug possession costs on the second listening to of her trial, which began July 1. She faces as much as 10 years in jail if convicted of transporting medication.. The medical testimony and Griner’s admission that she had the canisters have been geared toward incomes her a gentle sentence.
“We have a lot of mitigating factors. So we do hope that the court will take it into consideration. And the courts in Russia, in fact, have very broad discretion with regard to the sentence,” stated Maria Blagovolina, one other of Griner’s legal professionals.
Five court docket periods have taken place to date, some lasting solely about an hour. After Tuesday’s session of about 90 minutes, the case was adjourned till Wednesday afternoon.
It is unclear how lengthy the trial will final, however a court docket has approved Griner’s detention till Dec. 20.
The slow-moving trial and Griner’s 5 months of detention have raised robust criticism amongst teammates and supporters within the United States, which has formally declared her to be “wrongfully detained,” a designation sharply rejected by Russian officers.
Elizabeth Rood, the U.S. Embassy’s cost d’affaires, attended Tuesday’s court docket session. Griner “confirms that she is doing OK and as well as can be expected under these circumstances,” Rood advised reporters.
ABC’s “Good Morning America” aired a producer’s transient interview with Griner through which she wished her spouse, Cherelle, “good luck on the bar exam.”
When requested whether or not she had any complaints, Griner replied: “No, no complaints. Just waiting patiently.” She displayed photographs of her spouse, mates and teammates.
Griner was arrested in February amid excessive U.S.-Moscow tensions forward of Russia sending troops into Ukraine later that month. Some supporters contend she is being held in Russia as a pawn, probably for a prisoner swap. American soccer notable Megan Rapinoe final week stated “she’s being held as a political prisoner, obviously.”
The Russian Foreign Ministry final week lashed out on the U.S. competition that Griner was being wrongfully detained and stated Russian legal guidelines ought to be revered.
“If a U.S. citizen was taken in connection with the fact that she was smuggling drugs, and she does not deny this, then this should be commensurate with our Russian local laws, and not with those adopted in San Francisco, New York and Washington,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated.
“If drugs are legalized in the United States, in a number of states, and this is done for a long time and now the whole country will become drug-addicted, this does not mean that all other countries are following the same path,” she added.
Russian media have speculated that Griner might be exchanged for distinguished Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who’s imprisoned within the United States, and that Paul Whelan, an American imprisoned in Russia for espionage, may determine in an change.
U.S. officers haven’t commented on the prospects for such a commerce. Russian officers have stated no change might be mentioned till the conclusion of the authorized proceedings towards Griner.
Previous trial periods have included character-witness testimony from the director and captain of the Russian group that Griner performed for within the low season, and written testimony such because the American physician’s letter saying he had approved her to make use of hashish for ache remedy.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”