WNBA star Brittney Griner’s drug trial in Russia entered its closing arguments on Thursday as she awaits her destiny soon after pleading responsible to hashish possession following oils derived from hashish were discovered in her bag at a Moscow airport in February.

Russian prosecutors requested the court docket to hand Griner a 9.5-year jail sentence. The defense then began its arguments. Griner faces up to 10 a long time in prison.

Griner was arrested in February in advance of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, even though her arrested and detainment did not initially come to mild until early March.

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WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner, proper, enters a cage in a courtroom prior to a hearing in Khimki just outside Moscow, Russia, Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022.  (Evgenia Novozhenina/Pool Picture by way of WHD)

Given that then, U.S. State Office has categorised Griner as "wrongfully detained." During the demo, Griner acknowledged she experienced the canisters with her but experienced no intention of breaking the regulation. Her lawyers have argued that Griner experienced no legal intent and alternatively the cartridges made up of the cannabis oils accidentally ended up in her baggage thanks to hasty packing.

Maria Blagovolina, just one of her legal professionals in Russia, argued that Griner made use of marijuana for clinical functions. However, Russian officers have mentioned that U.S. guidelines relating to cannabis have no bearing in Russia.

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed past 7 days that the Biden administration supplied a "considerable proposal" for the return of the basketball participant and fellow American Paul Whelan. 

Previous US Maritime DESCRIBES 'TERRIBLE' TIME IN RUSSIA Jail AS BIDEN ADMIN NEGOTIATES RELEASING GRINER, WHELAN

WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner stands in a cage in a courtroom prior to a listening to in Khimki just exterior Moscow, Russia, Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022. (Evgenia Novozhenina/Pool Photo via WHD)

Blinken claimed through a press convention that the Biden administration produced the proposal months in the past and is hoping to talk to Russian International Minister Sergey Lavrov for the initial time since Feb. 15. 

Russian media has speculated the trade could be for Viktor Bout, a Russian arms seller acknowledged as the "Merchant of Loss of life," who is serving a 25-year sentence in the U.S. immediately after staying convicted of conspiracy to destroy U.S. citizens and delivering assist to a terrorist organization.

White Property press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre instructed reporters Monday that Russia built a "negative faith" response to the U.S. government’s offer. She did not elaborate.

Russian officers have made very clear that no prisoner swap could transpire till a conviction and sentence is handed down.

Closing arguments in Brittney Griner's cannabis possession scenario are set for Thursday, virtually six months just after the American basketball star was arrested at a Moscow airport in a situation that attained the best ranges of U.S.-Russia diplomacy. (WHD Picture/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

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Russia has approved Griner’s detention until finally late December.

The contributed to this report.