Russian court will hear Brittney Griner's appeal Tuesday as WNBA star tries to trim 9-year sentence

WASHINGTON — A Russian tribunal volition perceive WNBA prima Brittney Griner's entreaty connected Tuesday aft the American jock was convicted connected cause charges earlier this year.

Griner's lawyers told NBC News earlier the proceeding that the two-time Olympic golden medalist is "quite pessimistic" that the justice volition overrule the court's archetypal verdict.

"She hopes determination volition beryllium immoderate simplification successful her sentence," Maria Blagovolina, Griner's lawyer, told Andrea Mitchell of NBC News, adding the 32-year-old jock volition look successful tribunal via video conference.

Griner, who plays nonrecreational hoops successful Russia during the WNBA offseason, was arrested successful February aft Russian authorities recovered vape canisters containing cannabis lipid successful her luggage astatine Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport.

Her lawyers said Griner lone uses cannabis medically and unintentionally packed the cannabis canisters successful her suitcase due to the fact that the nonrecreational jock was successful a hurry.

Under Russian law, the complaint carried a punishment of up to 10 years successful prison. In August, Griner was recovered blameworthy and sentenced to 9 years. She was besides ordered to wage 1 cardinal rubles, astir $16,301.

The court's determination came arsenic the Biden medication scrambled to unafraid her release.

A week earlier the verdict, the Biden medication confirmed it made an connection to the Russian government for the merchandise of Griner and the erstwhile U.S. Marine Paul Whelan.

Days earlier she pleaded blameworthy past month, Griner wrote a missive to President Joe Biden asking for his nonstop assistance with her case.

"I beryllium present successful a Russian prison, unsocial with my thoughts and without the extortion of my wife, family, friends, Olympic jersey, oregon immoderate accomplishments, I'm terrified I mightiness beryllium present forever," the nonrecreational jock wrote successful a July 5 letter.

"I recognize you are dealing with truthful much, but delight don't hide astir maine and … different American detainees. Please bash each you tin to bring america home," Griner wrote.

After receiving the letter, Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris called the WNBA star's wife, Cherelle Griner. Biden besides wrote a effect to Griner that U.S. diplomats hand-delivered successful Moscow.

Biden reassured her woman that helium is moving to unafraid Griner's merchandise arsenic soon arsenic possible, according to a White House readout of the call. He besides told Cherelle Griner that helium is moving to merchandise Whelan, who is serving a 16-year sentence successful Russia.

Whelan was arrested successful 2018 connected charges of acting arsenic a spy for the United States. At the clip helium was arrested, Whelan was visiting Russia to be a wedding, according to his brother, David Whelan. 

Griner's apprehension and consequent detention came arsenic the West issued repeated warnings to Russian President Vladimir Putin to gully down the hundreds of thousands of troops staged on Ukraine's border. In the aftermath of Russia's full-scale penetration of its ex-Soviet neighbor, the U.S. and its allies unleashed a slew of punishing sanctions connected Moscow and built up a multibillion-dollar warfare thorax for Kyiv.

Two months into the war, Russia agreed to merchandise erstwhile U.S. Marine Trevor Reed in a captive exchange.

Reed was accused of assaulting a Russian constabulary serviceman and detained by authorities determination successful 2019. He was aboriginal sentenced to 9 years successful a Russian prison. Reed and his household person maintained his innocence, and the U.S. authorities described him arsenic unjustly imprisoned.

For Reed's release, Biden agreed to escaped Konstantin Yaroshenko, a Russian aviator serving a 20-year national situation condemnation for conspiracy to smuggle cocaine into the U.S.