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Griner pled guilty to drugs charges which carry a prison
sentence of up to ten years after she was detained at a Moscow
airport in February carrying vape cartridges with hashish oil.
The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) star appeared
in court wearing a Nirvana t-shirt on Friday for the fourth
hearing in the trial. She has said she did not intend to break
the law, and U.S. President Joe Biden has said the United States
is doing everything it can to secure her release.
The Kremlin has downplayed the idea of a prisoner exchange,
saying it is premature to discuss the possibility of swapping
Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medallist, for a Russian
imprisoned in the United States.
Griner's defense team submitted documents on Friday arguing she
"inadvertently" brought the vape cartridges into Russia and had
a permit issued in the state of Arizona for the use of medical
cannabis.
"The defense today provided written evidence, including
character materials, medical documents and tax returns,"
Griner's lawyer, Maria Blagovolina, a partner at Rybalkin,
Gortsunyan, Dyakin and Partners, told Reuters.
"Among the medical documents is a doctor's note for the
substance that Brittney Griner inadvertently left among her
belongings when crossing the border," she said.
In a hearing on Thursday, a Russian basketball club director
gave evidence in support of Griner, speaking of her "outstanding
ability" and "personal contribution to strengthening team
spirit."
Griner, who plays for the Phoenix Mercury in the United States
was scheduled to play for Russian team UMMC Ekaterinburg in the
off-season - a common move for WNBA players. Griner first played
in Russia in the 2014-15 season, and had prior stints in China.
(Reporting by Reuters; editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Toby
Davis)
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