US basketball star back in Russian courtroom
American basketball player Brittney Griner returned to a Russian courtroom on Tuesday for her drawn-out trial on drug charges that could bring her 10 years in prison if convicted. The trial of the two-time Olympic gold medalist and Phoenix Mercury standout began on July 1 but only four sessions have been held, some them lasting only a few hours. In one of them she acknowledged that she was carrying vape canisters containing cannabis oil when she was arrested at a Moscow airport in mid-February, but said she had no criminal intent. The slow-moving trial and her five months of detention have raised strong criticism among teammates and supporters in the United States, which has formally declared her to be "wrongfully detained," a designation sharply rejected by Russian officials. The Russian Foreign Ministry last week lashed out at the US contention that Griner is being wrongfully detained and said Russian laws should be respected. It is unclear how long the trial will last, but a court has authorized Griner's detention until December 20. AP video shot by Ayse Wieting
