WNBA star Brittney Griner has been discovered responsible and faces as much as 10 yearsin Russian jail for allegedly having a small quantity of hashish in vape cartridges packed in baggage she introduced by a Moscow airport earlier this yr.
Russian prosecutors have requested the decide for a nine-and-a-half-year sentence for the Phoenix Mercury participant. A sentence is predicted to be handed down later Thursday.
Any sentence, nevertheless, can be thrown out if American and Russian authorities struck a deal on a prisoner swap. Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed final week that the U.S. had put forth a “substantial supply,” reportedlysuggesting that Griner and one other American prisoner, former Marine Paul Whelan, be exchanged for convicted Russian arms vendor Viktor Bout.
Griner pleaded responsible to expenses of drug possession, however stated in court docket Thursday that she had made an trustworthy mistake and apologized for bringing “embarrassment” on her Russian teammates.
“I wish to additionally apologize to my dad and mom, my siblings, the Phoenix Mercury group again at residence, the wonderful girls of the WNBA, and my wonderful partner again at residence,” she added. Griner has been married to her spouse, Cherelle Griner, since 2019.
“I do know everyone retains speaking about ‘political pawn’ and politics, however I hope that that's removed from this courtroom,” she stated, in line with a number ofshops. “I wish to say once more that I had no intent of breaking Russian legal guidelines. I had no intent. I didn't conspire or plan to commit this crime.”
This story is growing. Please examine again quickly for extra.
Post a Comment