The two-time Olympic gold medalist made a brief appearance at the Khimki court in the Moscow region on Tuesday, where her defense team presented evidence. Griner, 31, pleaded guilty to drug charges earlier this month, but the US State Department says she is being wrongfully detained. He faces up to 10 years in prison. Griner’s supporters have called for her release amid fears she will be used as a political pawn amid Russia’s war on Ukraine. At Tuesday’s hearing, which lasted about an hour, a narcologist brought in by Griner’s lawyers said that based on the WNBA player’s prescription, it’s possible that Griner used the cannabis oil found in her luggage for medicinal purposes and not for entertainment purposes. Narcologist Mikhail Tetyushkin explained that “medical cannabis is a popular treatment especially among athletes” in many countries outside of Russia.
Tetyushkin presented the court with information about the use of medical marijuana by athletes, saying that the frequent use of cannabinoids is incompatible with professional sports due to the effect of relaxation and inhibition of reaction times. He also told the court on Tuesday that there is no global standard for the amount of cannabinoids in medical marijuana. Griner’s lawyer, Maria Blagovolina, told the court that the prosecution’s expert’s initial report was “incoherent” and not up to scientific and legal standards. Blagovolina said the prosecution’s expert report did not quantify the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content of the hemp oil found in Griner’s luggage. THC is the main psychoactive substance in cannabis. When the hearing ended, Blagovolina said Tetyushkin “explained that in various countries — and specifically in the U.S. — medical cannabis is a popular treatment especially among athletes.” “So with the prescription in place, Brittney may have used it for medicinal purposes but not recreationally,” Blagovolina added. Tuesday’s hearing, the fifth so far in Griner’s criminal trial, was attended by US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Elizabeth Rudd. Speaking to reporters outside court, Rudd told reporters that Griner confirmed she was doing “as well as can be expected under the circumstances.” The trial is expected to conclude early next month, Griner’s lawyers said.

Griner has been in custody since February

The Phoenix Mercury basketball star was arrested in February at a Moscow airport with less than a gram of cannabis oil in her luggage. Griner, who plays in Russia during the WNBA’s offseason, has since been held on drug-trafficking charges. Her trial began in early July. A prosecutor at the start of her trial in Moscow accused Griner of deliberately importing the drugs into Russia. Griner told the court that she did not intend to commit a crime and that it was the result of her hasty packing of her suitcase, state news agency RIA reported Novosti. Her defense team told Russian judges that she was prescribed medical cannabis for “severe chronic pain”. The defense hopes that the plea will be considered by the court as mitigation and the sentence will not be severe. The decision to plead guilty was made by Griner alone, a source close to her said. But in recent weeks, Griner, her family, lawyers and experts have discussed the decision at length. Given the reported 99% conviction rate in Russian criminal cases, Griner was asked to weigh all factors, including a plea that could ultimately lead to a lesser sentence. Some have speculated that Griner could be released and returned to the US in a prisoner exchange, as was Trevor Reed, an American veteran who was held in Russia for three years before his release in April. However, before any possible prisoner exchange, it was expected that Griner would have to be convicted and also plead guilty, a senior US official told CNN. Reed had to sign a document saying he was guilty — something he had resisted for most of his detention — days before he was let out, the official said.

“Please don’t forget me”

Many in the WNBA, along with other athletes, coaches and politicians, have called for Griner’s release. Griner wrote a letter to President Joe Biden that was delivered to the White House this month, saying she feared she would be detained in Russia indefinitely. “I realize you are dealing with so much, but please don’t forget about me and the other American prisoners. Do what you can to bring us home,” Griner wrote. “I voted for the first time in 2020 and I voted for you. I believe in you. I still have so much to do with my freedom that you can help restore.” Griner has some supporters in Russia, where she played during the WNBA’s offseason. A former teammate along with the manager of UMMC Ekaterinburg — the team Griner played with in western Russia until her contract expired after her detention — testified at an earlier hearing. “Brittney has always been a good teammate, so my role here is to support her and be there for her,” team captain Evgeniya Belyakova said after the hearing. Belyakova, a former captain of the Russian national team, added: “We miss her and her energy so much. I was very happy to see her. I hope the process ends soon and ends well.” This story has been updated with additional developments and background information. CNN’s Niamh Kennedy, Abby Phillip, Dakin Andone and Alaa Elassar contributed to this report.