WASHINGTON — For another person in another country at another time, the case might have been a minor matter: an American citizen detained at an airport for...
Griner, a former star at Baylor, was arrested in Russia at a moment when tensions with the U.S. were rising to their highest point in decades.
As extraordinary as her circumstances are, the details surrounding Griner’s case remain a mystery as a crucial court date approaches next month. Russian prosecutors have offered little clarity and the. Griner’s legal team has declined to speak out about the case as it works behind the scenes. The Phoenix Mercury star was detained at a Moscow airport in mid-February after Russian authorities said a search of her luggage revealed vape cartridges that allegedly contained oil derived from cannabis — accusations that could carry up to 10 years in prison, though some experts predict she’d get much less if convicted. She was returning to the country after the Russian League, in which she also plays, was taking a break for the FIBA World Cup qualifying tournament.
“It’s a trial lawyer’s nightmare since you have to conduct a trial when the larger political environment is negative,” said William Butler, a Russian law expert and professor at Penn State Dickinson Law. The State Department has pressed Russia for their release. In contrast to Griner’s case, it has described both as unjustly detained.Lusane, the Howard University professor, said under Putin “there’s been a hyper nationalism in Russia, so basically anyone who’s not considered Slavic is considered an outsider and a potential threat.
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