Griner was arrested at a Moscow airport in February. She admitted in court earlier this month that she had vape containers containing cannabis oil when she arrived in Russia, but claims she had no criminal intent and the containers ended up in her luggage by accident. During her deposition, the Phoenix Mercury star described taking a grueling 13-hour flight to Moscow from Arizona while recovering from Covid-19. Griner said she still doesn’t know how the cannabis oil, for which she had a doctor’s prescription, ended up in her purse, but explained that she had hurriedly packed it while under a lot of stress. She recalled how her luggage was checked upon arrival in Moscow and how she was pulled aside after inspectors found the cartridges. Along with the interpreter who provided an incomplete translation, Griner said she was offered neither an explanation of her rights nor access to lawyers and was told to sign documents without an explanation of what they implied. Griner said that after hours of proceedings she did not understand, she was allowed to hand over her personal belongings to a lawyer before being led away in handcuffs. She said she received only a rough translation of the allegations against her during a Feb. 19 hearing where the court allowed her arrest. Griner faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of drug trafficking. Her trial began on July 1, and the five previous court sessions have been brief, some lasting only about an hour. It’s unclear how long the trial will last, but a judge has ordered Griner held until Dec. 20. Griner went to Russia to play for UMMC Ekaterinburg in the WNBA offseason. During Tuesday’s court session, a Russian neuropsychologist testified about the worldwide use of medicinal cannabis, which remains illegal in Russia. Griner’s defense team submitted a letter from a US doctor recommending the basketball player use medical cannabis to treat pain. Griner testified Wednesday that she was suffering from pain from injuries sustained during her basketball career. He pointed out that hemp oil is widely used in the United States for medicinal purposes and has fewer negative effects than some other pain relievers. A Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman said last week that the legalization of cannabis for medical and recreational use in parts of the US has nothing to do with what is happening in Russia. Griner’s slow trial and five-month detention drew sharp criticism from her teammates and supporters in the United States, who officially declared her “unreasonably detained,” a characterization strongly rejected by Russian officials. Griner was arrested in February amid rising US-Moscow tensions ahead of Russia sending troops to Ukraine later that month. Some supporters argue that he is being held in Russia as a pawn, possibly for a prisoner exchange. American soccer player Megan Rapinoe said last week that she is “apparently being held as a political prisoner.” Russian media have speculated that Griner could be traded for prominent Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who is imprisoned in the United States, and that Paul Whelan, an American jailed in Russia for espionage, may also be involved in a swap. US officials have not commented on the prospects for such a trade. Russian officials said no exchange could be discussed until the legal proceedings against Griner were completed.
