President Biden has read the letter WNBA player Brittney Griner wrote to him from prison in Russia. The basketball star has been detained there since February.
The star with the U.S. Olympic and the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury was bracketed by four security officers and a dog as she was led down a stairwell to a courtroom for Monday's hearing.
The lawyer for the 31-year-old athlete said Friday her pre-trial detention in Russia has been extended by one month. Griner faces a trial on drug possession charges in mid-June.
Griner was arrested after authorities reportedly found vape cartridges with hashish oil in her luggage. The shift in language indicates the U.S. will work more aggressively to secure her release.
State Department spokesman Ned Price said consular officials were granted access to the basketball star on Wednesday. He added that she is in good condition.
Media coverage of Griner's arrest on alleged drug charges in Russia has remained somewhat muted. Some say it's because of her skin color, but others say it's part of a bigger strategy to get her home.
Russian authorities said earlier this month that they detained Griner at a Moscow-area airport for allegedly transporting vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage.
