EXPLAINER: Is Griner’s guilty plea a step toward freedom?

By JIM HEINTZ
Associated Press

MOSCOW (AP) — When Brittney Griner pleaded guilty to drug possession in a Russian court, hopes rose that her months of detention may soon be over, either through a U.S.-Russia prisoner swap or a pardon from President Vladimir Putin. But Russian courts often move slowly, Russian resentment over the high-profile case could obstruct a deal and the fate of an American imprisoned for espionage may be critical to freeing Griner. The standout for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury was arrested in February at a Moscow airport after vape canisters with cannabis oil were allegedly found in her luggage. She faces up to 10 years in prison.