Russian Court Finds Griner Guilty
On day 168 of being detained in Russia, WNBA star Brittney Griner’s nightmare continues. The Russian court convicted and sentenced the WNBA and FIBA star to nine years in prison for drug charges. Griner’s overall time will include the five 1/2-month detention previously served in Russia.
Griner pleads guilty during her first appearance in the Russian court. The purpose of her guilty plea was a strategy to encourage a prisoner swap. The option of exchanging prisoners is still a possibility. President Biden approved the prisoner swap that would release both Griner and Paul Whelan, former marine detained in Russia since 2018, in exchange for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. Bout, aka the “Merchant of Death,” is currently serving 25 years in US prison.
Although the Department of Justice does not support prisoner trades, Biden’s decision overrides the DOJ’s stance. Unfortunately, until Russian officials agree to the terms of the prisoner swap, both Griner and Whelan will need to seek other options as they continue to serve their time.
In addition to a sentence of nine years, Judge Sotnikova fined Griner 1 million rubles (approximately $16,400). Before the court reached its verdict, Griner apologized, begging for forgiveness and mercy. Her emotional speech and remorseful actions throughout the trial supposedly influenced the judge to lower her sentence. Nine years in Russian prison and paying a fee of $16,400 is Russia’s way of being generous to our fellow Americans.
Griner’s Cry for Help
During her speech, Griner explained, “I never meant to hurt anybody, I never meant to put in jeopardy the Russian population, I never meant to break any laws here.”
The WNBA star left New York for Russia to play overseas during the off-season, which most WNBA players do for extra money. Griner further explained to the court that she packed in such a hurry she accidentally packed the cannabis oils she was accused of smuggling into Russia.
In her statement, Griner clarified, “I want the court to know that it was an honest mistake I made while rushing, under stress, trying to bounce back from post-COVID and reunite with my team.”
Despite her claims, the Russian court says her actions were deliberate.
Trial Recap
The corrupt actions of Russia began in Moscow airport on February 17. During her trial, her legal team exposed Russia for improper arrest. Griner was not only interrogated without a lawyer but her rights were never explained to her. Officials compelled her to sign documents that she couldn’t comprehend due to the language barrier. The whole situation was affected by the language barrier, as the WNBA star recalls having to use Google Translate.
Many things about her case are questionable. After the improper arrest took place, things continued to go downhill for Griner, the 6’9 female athlete who is being kept in a cage.
Through her statements and actions, it is clear Griner fears for her life. Griner’s reaction to her sentence was a simple blank stare. Her emotionless reaction illustrates how tired the WNBA star truly is. The entire situation is out of her hands. Griner’s past drug test and prescription of medical marijuana demonstrate her innocence to the court. However, due to the tension between the United States and Russia, because of the war in Ukraine, Griner’s unfortunate circumstances couldn’t have come at a worse time. It is possible that Russia is using Griner as a political pawn.
War on Minorities
In one of the darkest moments of her life, Griner continues to be criticized and bashed by hateful comments. She identifies with many minority groups in the United States. It is almost as if the lives of African American, masculine women who identify with the LGBTQ+ community do not matter.
The minority community and those who support Griner are furious with the news regarding her sentence. Especially since having barely a gram of medically-prescribed marijuana for sports-related injuries is not worth nine years in a Russian prison.
Others feel that she is getting exactly what she deserves; many of these critics are Republicans. Not only is there a war in Ukraine, but in the United States, there has been a war with many minority groups. Griner belongs to several marginalized groups as an African American LGBT female. Each of which Republicans do not necessarily stand by with the utmost support. African Americans continue to fight battles for centuries, as do women and the LGBTQ+ community. Thus, it is not surprising that America is yet to come to the rescue of our fellow sisters.
No part of Griner’s identity singly defines the person she is. She should not be classified or judged based on the minority groups she belongs to. She goes to Russia every offseason to win championships for UMMC Ekaterinburg. Throughout her life, she has always been a role model. She impacts the lives of many young female basketball players. The WNBA star’s wrongful detention will deeply change and affect her life moving forward. Unfortunately, Brittney Griner never be able to play the game she loves again.
Please share your thoughts on WNBA star Brittney Griner’s nine-year sentence and the outlandish drug charges.
Let’s really talk about it! The lack of coverage that this case is getting and the court order is only emblematic of minority groups in America and Russian tactics on the US. Thank you for this comprehensive article because a lot of them lack showing Brittney as a human caught in an unjust system. Thank you Francis🙌🏾
Excellent article, thanks for bringing us up to speed! This is an unfortunate situation .