美国国家公共电台 NPR--In Moscow trial, Britney Griner is expected to testify in her own defense

In Moscow trial, Britney Griner is expected to testify in her own defense¹

Transcript²

WNBA star Britney Griner returns to court Wednesday. She's pleaded guilty to smuggling³ vape cartridges⁴ with hash oil into the country, but says she didn't intentionally⁵ break Russian law.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

American basketball star Brittney Griner returns to court in Moscow today, where she's expected to testify in her own defense. A hearing yesterday was cut short due to high temperatures in the courtroom. Griner already pleaded guilty to charges of smuggling vape cartridges with hash oil into the country but argued she did not intentionally break Russian law. Joining us now from Moscow is NPR's Charles Maynes to discuss.

Hi, Charles.

CHARLES MAYNES, BYLINE⁶: Hi there.

FADEL: So, Charles, remind us of where we are in this trial and how it's gotten to this point.

MAYNES: Sure. You know, just to back up, Griner was detained at a Moscow airport in February as she arrived for off-season play here in Russia. As you mentioned, you know, Griner later copped to the main charge in court. She said, yes, these vape cartridges found in her bags were hers, but she had no intention of breaking Russian law. It was an accident.

Now, Griner's defense team has since worked to present Griner as a sympathetic figure. A couple weeks ago, I watched as one of her Russian teammates - the team captain, in fact - and an executive from the team both gave testimony⁷. They said Griner was well loved by players and fans, both on and off the court, in her city of Yekaterinburg, where she plays. They also argued Griner had done a lot for Russia, helping⁸ win championships not only at home, but also in Europe. And they said that Russian success came because Griner was there leading the way, sometimes even at the expense of her own health.

FADEL: So trying to paint a sympathetic picture of Griner. So you've been covering the trial. Any idea from Griner's lawyers what she might say today when she testifies?

MAYNES: Well, you know, presumably Griner will speak in more detail about how these vape charges ended up in her bag and why she had them in the first place. You know, in recent hearings, the defense has presented evidence that Griner was legally prescribed this hashish oil by a U.S. doctor and that it was to treat pain, not for recreational use. Her Russian team is pointing out that Griner, both as an international athlete and gold medal Olympian, has never failed a drug test.

They've also pointed⁹ out the pounding that Griner's body took from playing year round, not just in the WNBA, but abroad, as many of the league stars do to supplement their income. So yesterday in court, the defense, in fact, had an expert witness who tried to detail how medical marijuana can be used to treat chronic¹⁰ pain. But the session was cut short. It's been really, really hot in that courtroom. It's a small room with no air conditioning. And a U.S. official from the embassy who was attending the trial grew faint. So the judge adjourned¹¹ the proceedings¹² early.

FADEL: Now, many observers say that Griner's predicament is also political, that it's not just about hash oil, that she's being used as a pawn¹³ in Russia's confrontation¹⁴ with the West over the war in Ukraine. Is that the case?

MAYNES: Well, you're right. I mean, on the surface of things, it's a trial about these drug charges, which - by Russian law, Griner faces a possible 10 years in prison. But, of course, this has all unfolded against the backdrop of U.S.-Russian relations hitting rock bottom over the conflict in Ukraine. The U.S. says she's unlawfully detained. They've assigned her case to the Bureau of Hostage Affairs, even as Russia insists the case is not political. And yet there have been all these constant rumors¹⁵ of a possible prisoner swap¹⁶.

The White House says getting her home is a priority, and certainly the administration is under immense public pressure to do so. The Russians say that there are their citizens in American prisons that they would like to see come home, and they've made no secret of that. But the catch is that Russia says none of that can happen while the trial's ongoing¹⁷. So you can understand Griner's urge to just get it over with. Russian criminal courts also have a 99% conviction rate. So there's an argument here that playing for leniency¹⁸ rather than an acquittal is the smart legal move.

FADEL: NPR's Charles Maynes in Moscow. Thank you so much.

MAYNES: Thank you.

(SOUNDBITE OF PENSEES' "LUNAMOTH")

1 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 smuggling   

n.走私

参考例句：

• Some claimed that the docker's union fronted for the smuggling ring.某些人声称码头工人工会是走私集团的掩护所。
• The evidence pointed to the existence of an international smuggling network.证据表明很可能有一个国际走私网络存在。

4 cartridges   

子弹( cartridge的名词复数 )； （打印机的）墨盒； 录音带盒； （唱机的）唱头

参考例句：

• computer consumables such as disks and printer cartridges 如磁盘、打印机墨盒之类的电脑耗材
• My new video game player came with three game cartridges included. 我的新电子游戏机附有三盘游戏带。

5 intentionally   

ad.故意地，有意地

参考例句：

• I didn't say it intentionally. 我是无心说的。
• The local authority ruled that he had made himself intentionally homeless and was therefore not entitled to be rehoused. 当地政府裁定他是有意居无定所，因此没有资格再获得提供住房。

6 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

7 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

8 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

9 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

10 chronic   

adj.(疾病)长期未愈的，慢性的；极坏的

参考例句：

• Famine differs from chronic malnutrition.饥荒不同于慢性营养不良。
• Chronic poisoning may lead to death from inanition.慢性中毒也可能由虚弱导致死亡。

11 adjourned   

（使）休会， （使）休庭( adjourn的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The court adjourned for lunch. 午餐时间法庭休庭。
• The trial was adjourned following the presentation of new evidence to the court. 新证据呈到庭上后，审讯就宣告暂停。

12 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

13 pawn   

n.典当，抵押，小人物，走卒；v.典当，抵押

参考例句：

• He is contemplating pawning his watch.他正在考虑抵押他的手表。
• It looks as though he is being used as a political pawn by the President.看起来他似乎被总统当作了政治卒子。

14 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

15 rumors   

n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷

参考例句：

• Rumors have it that the school was burned down. 有谣言说学校给烧掉了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Rumors of a revolt were afloat. 叛变的谣言四起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 swap   

n.交换；vt.交换，用...作交易

参考例句：

• I will swap you my bicycle for your radio.我想拿我的自行车换你的收音机。
• This comic was a swap that I got from Nick.这本漫画书是我从尼克那里换来的。

17 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

18 leniency   

n.宽大（不严厉）

参考例句：

• udges are advised to show greater leniency towards first-time offenders.建议法官对初犯者宽大处理。
• Police offer leniency to criminals in return for information.警方给罪犯宽大处理以换取情报。