By JIM HEINTZ
KHIMKI, Russia (AP) — The drug trial of American basketball star Brittney Griner in a Russian courtroom targeted Tuesday on testimony that hashish, whereas unlawful in Russia, is regarded in different international locations as having legit medicinal use.
Griner has acknowledged that she was carrying vape canisters containing hashish oil when she was arrested in February at a Moscow airport, however she contends that she had no felony 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 session by which 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,” he stated.
Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist who performs for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, faces as much as 10 years in jail if convicted. The medical testimony and Griner’s admission that she had the canisters is geared toward bringing 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.
After about 90 minutes in session Tuesday, the case was adjourned till Wednesday afternoon.
The trial of the two-time Olympic gold medalist and Phoenix Mercury standout started July 1 however solely 5 classes have been held, some them lasting solely about an hour.
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 courtroom session. Griner “confirms that she is doing ok and as well as can be expected under these circumstances,” she instructed reporters.
ABC’s “Good Morning America” aired a producer’s temporary interview with Griner by which she wished her spouse, Cherelle “good luck on the bar exam.”
When requested whether or not she had any complaints, she replied: “No, no complaints. Just waiting patiently.” She displayed images 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 is being wrongfully detained and stated Russian legal guidelines needs 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,” 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 trade.
U.S. officers haven’t commented on the prospects for such a commerce. Russian officers have stated no trade might be mentioned till the conclusion of the authorized proceedings towards Griner. It is unclear how lengthy the trial will final, however a courtroom has licensed Griner’s detention till Dec. 20.
Previous trial classes have included character-witness testimony from the director and captain of the Russian group that Griner performed for within the low season, together with written testimony together with a health care provider’s letter saying he had licensed her to make use of hashish for ache therapy.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”