WNBA superstar Brittney Griner, designated as “wrongfully detained” in Russia by the U.S. government, was back in a courtroom on Thursday, but no verdict was handed down.
Griner, who has been held since mid-February after being caught with vape cartridges and faces a decade in prison, is expected to be back in court on Friday. She pleaded guilty to the charges last week.
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A former teammate and the director of the Russian basketball team for which Griner has played the past couple of seasons testified during Thursday’s hearing.
“Brittney has always been a good teammate, which is why my role here is to support her and be there for her,” team captain Evgeniya Belyakova said after the hearing, according to CNN. “We miss her and her energy so much. I was very glad to see her. I hope the process ends soon and ends well.”
Maksim Ryabkov, the team director, said he told the court about “what a big role she played in the success of the Ekaterinburg club and Russian women’s basketball in general with her performances in the EuroLeague, how she raised our national rating.”
Griner’s legal team expounded on Ryabkov’s testimony, saying he “gave a positive description of Brittney Griner during his speech in court, noting her outstanding abilities as a player and personal contribution to strengthening the team spirit, which allowed the team to achieve the highest results in the Russian basketball premier league and in international competitions for many years.”
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Her case has gotten significant media attention, especially since the start of her trial. Her wife, Cherelle, as well as her friends and family in and around the WNBA and other influential leaders, have pushed the Biden administration to get her back. He also spoke with Cherelle Griner earlier this month and wrote a letter to Brittney Griner.
There have been talks of a possible prisoner exchange involving Griner and Paul Whelan, another American whom the government considers wrongfully detained in Russia. Whelan, who was accused of being a spy, is serving a 16-year prison sentence. Biden reached out to Whelan’s sister, Elizabeth, after backlash following his call with Cherelle Griner.
