MOSCOW (AP) — More than four months after she was arrested at a Moscow airport for cannabis possession, a Russian court has set the start date for the criminal trial of the American basketball star Brittney Griner for July 1.
The Phoenix Mercury star could remain in Russian custody until late autumn as the court extended her detention for the fourth time.
Griner could face 10 years in prison if convicted on charges of large-scale transportation of drugs.
Fewer than 1% of defendants in Russian criminal cases are acquitted, and unlike in the U.S., acquittals can be overturned.
On Monday, the court in the Moscow suburb of Khimki extended Griner's detention for another six months.
In May, the U.S. State Department said Griner was being “wrongly detained.”
The Russian government claims that the 31-year-old was arrested in February for possessing hash oil.
