Brittney Griner: Russian courtroom schedules begin of trial for Friday, her lawyer says

Griner — who has been held in Russia since her arrest at a Moscow airport on allegations of attempted drug smuggling — attended the preliminary hearing in person Monday, arriving at court handcuffed and flanked by guards in black vests, according to a photo by AFP photographer Kirill Kudryavstev.

Her lawyer, Alexander Boykov, previously told CNN the hearing would occur behind closed doors at the Khimki court, just outside Moscow.

Griner, 31, a Phoenix Mercury player who plays in Russia during the WNBA’s offseason, was arrested February 17. Russian authorities claimed she had cannabis oil in her luggage and accused her of smuggling significant amounts of a narcotic substance, an offense punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Griner’s detention, which has been repeatedly extended, has sparked a wave of support among dozens of organizations in the US that have joined Cherelle Griner, Brittney Griner’s wife, in urging President Joe Biden to strike an exchange deal with Russian…

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