She's a basketball superstar, but Brittney Griner's been languishing in Russian custody for more than four months.
And her trial — which starts today — is far from the end of the ordeal: A prisoner swap with the so-called "Merchant of Death" could be on the cards to secure her freedom.
Here's what we know about the case so far.
How did it start?
Ms Griner was detained at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport on February 17, less than a week before Russia sent troops into Ukraine.
Vape cartridges containing oil derived from cannabis were allegedly found in her luggage.
The maximum penalty for this in Russia is 10 years in jail.
Ever since, the Phoenix Mercury star and dual Olympic gold medallist has been held in prison.
By May, the US State Department had reclassified her as wrongfully detained and gave her case to its special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, effectively the US government's chief negotiator.
Ms Griner has been regularly travelling to Russia to play there, when the US Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) has its off-season.
Reportedly, she's made an extra $US1 million playing for Russian teams.
The WNBA has a maximum base salary that's around $US200,000, far less than the millions paid to their male counterparts.
How will the trial play out?
Suspects in Russia can wait years in jail for a trial, but Ms Griner's court date has been set for today, July 1, local time.
It's highly unlikely that she will be acquitted.
Melbourne law school associate professor William Partlett said that, inside the Russian court system, a high-profile trial such as this one would be orchestrated.
"This one is likely being orchestrated, much the way that trial against [Russian opposition leader Alexi] Navalny was."
Fewer than 1 per cent of defendants in Russian criminal cases are acquitted and, unlike elsewhere in the world, even if you're acquitted, that can be overturned.
What's happening with a prisoner swap?
Convicted arms trafficker Viktor Bout — nicknamed the "Merchant of Death" — has repeatedly been raised by Russian media as a contender.
Bout is serving a 25-year sentence after being convicted of a conspiracy to kill US citizens and providing aid to a terrorist organisation.
While Russia has agitated for his release for years, there's a big discrepancy between what Ms Griner is accused of and global arms trafficking.
Dr Partlett said that, while it did look like authorities were building towards "some sort of exchange", Ms Griner's case, alone, might not be enough.
That second prisoner the US is likely seeking is businessman Paul Whelan.
He's a former Marine and security director serving a 16-year sentence on an espionage conviction that US authorities have repeatedly described as a set-up.
So how likely is it that this will happen?
Despite the war in Ukraine and increasingly sour US-Russian relations, a prisoner swap for former US marine Trevor Reed did happen in April this year.
Mr Reed was in jail for almost three years and was traded for a convicted Russian drug trafficker
The former marine was in jail after Russian authorities said he assaulted a police officer and, after that, he was sentenced to nine years.
However, Dr Partlett says the situation in Russia's legal system has "degraded" even further since then, and the whole system has changed since the invasion in general.
"Things are far worse now than they were in April," he said.
What's next?
Ms Griner's detention has already been extended another six months to December 20 and it's unclear how long the trial will take.
But Dr Partlett said that an exchange with the Kremlin will not happen until she's convicted.
"She'll be sitting, I expect for a few more months at least, waiting," he said.
Who's supporting her?
Initially, Ms Griner's friends and teammates were hesitant to talk about her situation, for fear of interfering with the ongoing negotiations, but more people are speaking out now.
Each WNBA court has her initials and her number, 42, painted on the floor.
Her wife, Cherelle Griner, said it "comforts her" and lets her know she hasn't been forgotten.
"Things like that matter, like, it has her hopeful," she said added.
Player A'ja Wilson has branded Ms Griner's detention "unacceptable" and said she "can't imagine what she's going through".
Ms Griner will be paid her full salary of nearly $228,000 by her US team, even though she is being detained in Russia.
And almost 300,000 people have signed a change.org petition calling for her safe return to the US.
ABC/wires
