Brittney Griner

We all know Russia doesn't care about what Brittney Griner did,” Noah said, calling Russia “the same country that's breaking every human rights law on the ...

They should get their own name, like the Choco Taco flock’o.” — TREVOR NOAH Klondike ended the Choco Taco and the fans brought it back. Apparently you cannot rush the artisanal process of folding an ice cream cone in half.” — JIMMY FALLON I miss food in Alcatraz, no!’” — TREVOR NOAH “Whoever America has in prison, send them to Russia. Yeah, it seems like they win, but don’t forget, that person now has to live in Russia. Yeah, yeah. Here are the 50 best movies on Netflix right now.

Brittney Griner has been sentenced to 9 years in prison by a Russian court. Who is she, and what is the case against her? What could happen next?

There has been growing pressure on the Biden administration to get Griner home. Many WNBA athletes chose to play overseas because of the massive pay disparity compared to their male counterparts in the National Basketball Association (NBA), whose earnings can go up to tens of millions of dollars. A Russian court on Thursday (August 4) convicted US basketball star Brittney Griner of possessing and smuggling narcotics, sentencing her to 9 years in prison and a fine of 1 million rouble in the politically charged case. Griner’s defence team said they were “very disappointed” by the verdict and would appeal against it. Standing 6 feet 9 inches tall, the centre player has been with team Phoenix Mercury since 2013. I didn’t want to break the law,” she added.

The W.N.B.A. star was sentenced to nine years in a Russian penal colony, but her supporters insist they will do “whatever we can to get her home.”

The tense relationship between the United States and Russia has not eased in the months since Griner’s detention. She said the W.N.B.A. players’ public statements were “giving them a nod and saying they appreciated what they did.” She added: “I am asking that in honor of all our great experiences competing in Russia and around the world, out of love and humanity, that you show her mercy and understanding. “There’s no impetus for Russia to do anything immediately.” She said her initial excitement over a possible prisoner swap for Griner dissipated after Thursday’s verdict. I’d like to thank you for reading The Times and encourage you to support journalism like this by becoming a subscriber. Doing so will give you access to the work of over 1,700 journalists whose mission is to cover the world and make sure you have accurate and impartial information on the most important topics of the day. In both the United States and Russia, Griner’s teammates and coaches have offered their support. Griner has been detained in Russia since Feb. 17 when Russian customs officials at an airport near Moscow said they had found hashish oil, a cannabis derivative, in a vape pen in her luggage. After U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken publicly said that the United States had offered Russia a deal, Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, told reporters that prisoner swaps were negotiated quietly. Whelan was convicted of espionage and sentenced to 16 years in prison. Last week, the U.S. State Department said it had made a “ substantial” offer to the Russian government for Griner and Paul N. Whelan, an American who has been detained in Russia since 2018.

After a Russian court sentenced WNBA star Brittney Griner to nine years in prison for a drug smuggling conviction on Thursday, the player's supporters, ...

During the trial, the lawyers argued that Griner's detention was handled improperly. The US State Department has classified Griner as wrongfully detained. In addition to her nine-year sentence, Griner must pay a fine of 1 million rubles, which is roughly $16,400. "I know everybody keeps talking about political pawn and politics, but I hope that that is far from this courtroom." Her lawyers had hoped that Griner's guilty plea and statements of remorse would result in a more lenient sentence. of cannabis oil in her luggage as she traveled through a Moscow airport on February 17.

This step puts a spotlight on our significant concerns with Russia's legal system and the Russian government's use of wrongful detentions to advance its own ...

The United States opposes this practice everywhere. This is an absolute priority of mine and the Department’s. This step puts a spotlight on our significant concerns with Russia’s legal system and the Russian government’s use of wrongful detentions to advance its own agenda, using individuals as political pawns.

President calls basketball star's detention 'unacceptable' as Tony Blinken reiterates commitment to bringing Griner home from Russia.

It is time that BG comes home swiftly and safely.” “The sentencing of Brittney Griner is a moral outrage and a legal atrocity in any court in the world,” said Sharpton in statement released via Twitter. The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, shared a statement about Griner’s sentencing on Twitter, writing: “The Russian court’s conviction and sentencing of US citizen Brittney Griner spotlights our concerns with the Russian government’s use of wrongful detentions.”

The US and Russia have indicated they are ready to hold talks over a prisoner swap, a day after basketball star Brittney Griner was convicted of drug ...

Earlier Friday, a US State Department official told reporters there had been no "serious response" from Russia on a proposed swap. Prior to the verdict on Thursday, Griner apologized to the court and asked for leniency in an emotional speech. And we'll be pursuing that," Blinken told reporters at a press briefing.

A Russian court found Brittney Griner guilty on drug smuggling and possession charges. She was sentenced to more than nine years in prison.

The White House has urged Russia to accept its offer of a deal for the release of Griner and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan.

That means she truly is terrified that she may never see us again. You know, I share those same sentiments," Cherelle said. Blinken has said Washington put forward a "substantial proposal" for the exchange of Griner and Whelan. In a handwritten letter from Griner that was delivered to the White House last month, the WNBA player wrote how terrified she is that she may be imprisoned in Russia "forever." The White House has urged Russia to accept its offer of a deal for the release of Griner and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who was sentenced to 16 years in prison on espionage charges. Russia said Friday it was "ready to discuss" a prisoner swap with Washington at the presidential level, a day after the drug conviction of U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner.

Brittney Griner, who was in Russia to play for a local team during the WNBA off-season, was detained over vape carriages containing cannabis oil in her ...

The weapons: Ukraine is making use of weapons such as Javelin antitank missiles and Switchblade “kamikaze” drones, provided by the United States and other allies. Russia has used an array of weapons against Ukraine, some of which have drawn the attention and concern of analysts. Russia appears set to resume ground offensives, with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu telling troops on Saturday to intensify attacks “in all operational sectors” of Ukraine.

Griner sentenced and fined 1m roubles in politically charged verdict that could lead to prisoner swap with the US.

“I never meant to put in jeopardy the Russian population. “I never meant to hurt anybody,” Griner said in her closing statement. He claimed that the US said Russia offered a trade for Bout in 2020 shortly after Whelan’s conviction on spying charges. US officials say Russia wants to swap Griner and Paul Whelan, a former US marine arrested on spying charges in 2020, for the convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout. The exchange at an airfield in Turkey recalled a cold war thriller, as the two men walked past each other to board planes back to their respective countries. Griner’s defence team said they were “disappointed” by the verdict and would appeal.

MOSCOW — A Russian court has found Brittney Griner guilty on drug smuggling and possession charges. The widely expected verdict comes after a monthlong ...

You may click on “Your Choices” below to learn about and use cookie management tools to limit use of cookies when you visit NPR’s sites. If you click “Agree and Continue” below, you acknowledge that your cookie choices in those tools will be respected and that you otherwise agree to the use of cookies on NPR’s sites. NPR’s sites use cookies, similar tracking and storage technologies, and information about the device you use to access our sites (together, “cookies”) to enhance your viewing, listening and user experience, personalize content, personalize messages from NPR’s sponsors, provide social media features, and analyze NPR’s traffic.

Griner had told the court she had no intention to break the law by bringing vape cartridges with cannabis oil when she flew to Moscow in February.

Russian media have speculated repeatedly that Griner could be swapped for Bout, nicknamed “the Merchant of Death,” who is serving a 25-year sentence in the U.S. after being convicted of conspiracy to kill U.S. citizens and providing aid to a terrorist organization. … It is our hope that we are near the end of this process of finally bringing BG home to the United States.” On July 27, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington has offered a deal to Russia aimed at bringing home Griner and Whelan in a sharp reversal of previous policy. She was the No. 1 pick by Phoenix in the 2013 draft. Griner testified she was aware cannabis oil was outlawed in Russia and had not intended to break the law or “plan to smuggle anything into Russia.” The U.S. State Department had earlier declared Griner to be “wrongfully detained” — a charge that Russia has sharply rejected. A team that has nothing to do with politics or global conflict.” She also said she was not informed of her rights. When she took the stand July 7, Griner said: “I would like to plead guilty on the charges against me. She led the league in scoring twice. Under Russian law, Griner has 10 days to appeal, and her lawyers say they expect a hearing in Moscow regional court next week. Most Russians possessing small quantities of drugs get at most five years in prison, lawyers said.

Griner, 31, admitted possessing cannabis oil but told the court she made an "honest mistake". But the court convicted her of smuggling and possessing narcotics, ...

"It's a serious proposal. When we saw Brittney on Tuesday, we told her, 'See you on Thursday'. She said, 'See you on doomsday'. So it looks like she was right." We urge them to accept it. Griner also said she had received neither an explanation of her rights nor access to a lawyer in the initial hours of her detention, and that she had to use a translation app on her phone to communicate. "She can hardly talk. She had come to Russia to play club basketball during the US off-season.

Griner has been charged with drug smuggling for possessing vape cartridges with cannabis oil that were found in her luggage at a Moscow airport.

She added that the amount of substance brought in by the athlete was "just over" the allowed amount. Her case has raised speculation about a potential prisoner swap between Moscow and Washington. Griner has been charged with drug smuggling for possessing vape cartridges with cannabis oil that were found in her luggage at a Moscow airport. Griner has been charged with drug smuggling for possessing vape cartridges with cannabis oil that were found in her luggage at a Moscow airport. Vlasenko said Griner "deliberately" proceeded through the green corridor at customs and stated she had nothing to declare "in order to conceal" the substance. "I ask the court to find Griner guilty and sentence her to nine years and six months in prison," prosecutor Nikolay Vlasenko said, requesting a term just short of the maximum punishment of 10 years.

A Russian court on Thursday sentenced WNBA star Brittney Griner to nine years in prison for drug possession and smuggling, after Russia made a “bad faith” ...

Her attorneys have argued she did not intend to break the law, showing evidence of her approval for medical marijuana use in the U.S. All use of cannabis is illegal in Russia. Griner testified before the court for the first time last week, saying she was not read her rights after being arrested, was not offered an attorney and was forced to sign papers without a translation. After pleas from Griner, her wife and other prominent figures, including NBA star Lebron James, U.S. officials announced last week they had proposed a prisoner swap in exchange for Griner, reportedly offering Bout—who has been serving a 25-year jail sentence—in exchange for Griner and Whelan, a former marine who was arrested in Moscow in 2018. “I know everybody keeps talking about political pawn and politics, but I hope that that is far from this courtroom.”

Joe Biden calls the sentence against the WNBA star, who was arrested at a Moscow airport in February, 'unacceptable'.

“I still don’t understand to this day how they ended up in my bag,” she told the court on July 27. She apologised to her family, teammates, and her spouse. Blinken said on Thursday the sentence against Griner “further compounds the injustice of her wrongful detention”, promising to continue to push to bring her “home”. “Taking into account the amount of the substance – not to mention the defects of the expertise – and the plea, the verdict is absolutely unreasonable,” her defence team said in a statement. “I never meant to hurt anybody, I never meant to put in jeopardy the Russian population, I never intended to break Russian law,” Griner said through a translator while standing in the metal cage reserved for defendants in Russian courtrooms. Sotnikova had said on Thursday that Griner committed the crime “deliberately”. But Griner had testified during the trial it was a mistake.