Russian judge sentences American basketball player Griner to 9 years in prison

A judge in Russia on Thursday convicted American basketball star Brittney Griner of drug possession and smuggling and sentenced her to nine years in prison for drug possession and smuggling.

Judge Anna Sotnikova said the time Griner had been in custody since his February arrest would count toward sentencing.

Griner reacted to the sentence with little emotion. He listened to the verdict from the defendant’s cell, a blank look on his face.

Recapping the evidence and giving her conclusions Thursday, the judge said the 31-year-old Griner illegally brought drugs into Russia.

Earlier on Thursday, an emotional Brittney Griner apologized in a Russian court as her drug possession trial drew to a close, with a prosecutor urging that the American basketball star be found guilty and sentenced to 9 1/2 years in prison in a case that reached the highest levels of diplomacy between the United States and Russia.

With a judge set to deliver an unusually swift verdict later that day and a conviction almost certain, Griner made one last appeal to the court. He said he had no intention of breaking the law by carrying cannabis oil vape cartridges when he flew to Moscow in February to play basketball in the city of Yekaterinburg.

“I want to apologize to my teammates, my club, my fans and the city of (Yekaterinburg) for the mistake I made and the embarrassment I caused them,” Griner said, her voice breaking. “I also want to apologize to my parents, my siblings, the Phoenix Mercury organization back home, the amazing women of the WNBA, and my amazing spouse back home.”

Under Russian law, Griner, 31, faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. but judges have considerable latitude in passing sentence.

If he is not released, attention will turn to the possibility of a prisoner swap at stake, as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken proposed to his Russian counterpart last week.

She said she made “an honest mistake,” adding: “I hope her decision doesn’t end my life.”

Griner said that Yekaterinburg, a city east of the Ural Mountains, had become his “second home”.

“I had no idea that the team, the cities, the fans, my teammates would make such an impression on me during the six and a half years I spent here,” he said. “I vividly remember walking out of the gym and all the girls that were in the stands waiting for me, and that’s what brought me back here.”

Attorneys for the Phoenix Mercury Center and the two-time Olympic gold medalist have pursued strategies to buttress Griner’s claim that he had no criminal intent and that the boats ended up in his luggage because he packed them hastily. They have presented character witnesses from the Russian team she plays for in the WNBA offseason and written testimony from a doctor who said she prescribed cannabis for pain management.

Griner’s lawyer, Maria Blagovolina, argued that Griner inadvertently brought the cartridges to Russia and only used cannabis to treat pain from injuries sustained in his career. She said that she used it only in Arizona, where medical marijuana is legal.

He emphasized that Griner was packing in a hurry after a grueling flight and suffering from the consequences of COVID-19. Blagovolina also noted that the analysis of the cannabis found in Griner’s possession was flawed and violated legal procedures.

Blagovolina asked the court to acquit Griner, noting that he had no criminal record and praising his role in “the development of Russian basketball.”

Another defense attorney, Alexander Boykov, also emphasized Griner’s role in leading his Yekaterinburg team to multiple championships, noting that her teammates loved and admired her.

White House reaction

Immediately afterward, the White House issued a statement from United States President Joe Biden regarding Griner’s conviction.

“American citizen Brittney Griner received a prison sentence that is yet another reminder of what the world already knew: Russia is wrongfully detaining Brittney,” Biden said. “It is unacceptable and I call on Russia to release her immediately so that she can be with her wife, loved ones, friends and teammates,” she added.

Biden said his administration will “continue to work tirelessly” to secure the release of Griner and another American imprisoned in Russia, Paul Whelan.

[Con información de The Associated Press]

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