Madonna Gets Involved in Russian Trial

Madonna is stepping into another political fray. The Material Girl says she's hoping for leniency for Russia's Pussy Riot, the girl punk rockers on trial for a protest against Vladimir Putin in a Moscow cathedral, where they sang: "Virgin Mary, drive Putin away." The trio face up to seven years in prison if they're convicted of religious hooliganism. "Obviously I believe in freedom of speech and I'm against censorship, so I hope that the judge is lenient with them and that they are freed soon," Madonna told AP in Russia, where she's appearing on her world concert tour. (More Pussy Riot stories.)