The trial of Brittney Griner reached its final stage on Thursday, with the American basketball star appearing in a Russian court for the start of closing arguments in a case that is expected to end with the conviction of Griner, who has been caught up in the crisis between Moscow and Washington over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The trial of Brittney Griner reached its final stage on Thursday, with the American basketball star appearing in a Russian court for the start of closing arguments in a case that is expected to end with the conviction of Griner, who has been caught up in the crisis between Moscow and Washington over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The verdict and sentencing are expected to be announced Thursday evening, according to Maria Blagovolina, a partner at Rybalkin Gortsunyan Dyakin and Partners law firm who is representing Griner. Her defense team had previously said it expected the case to finish by mid-August.
The drug charges Griner faces carry up to 10 years in prison under Russia’s criminal code, and prosecutors in her case asked for a sentence of 9 1/2 years. They also asked for a fine of 1 million rubles, about $16,600.
The defense team for Griner, an Olympian who plays for the Phoenix Mercury WNBA team, has been trying to persuade the judge to be lenient. “I’d like to ask the court to acquit my client but, if the court deems this impossible, I think that the penalty should be handed down with due account of Griner’s personality and the role she has played in the development of Russian basketball,” Blagovolina told the court Thursday.
