Brittney Griner found guilty of drug possession, sentenced to 9 years by Russian court

Brittney Griner found guilty of drug possession, sentenced to 9 years by Russian court

On Thursday, a Russian court sentenced American basketball player Brittney Griner to nine years in jail for willfully smuggling cannabis-infused vape cartridges into Russia even though doing so was against the law.

Her conviction might open the door for a high-profile prisoner exchange between the 31-year-old athlete and a Russian prisoner who was once a successful weapons trader between Russia and the United States.

Before sobbing in court, Griner had previously appealed to a Russian judge not to "end her life" by giving her a hefty jail term for smuggling in vape cartridges containing hashish oil.

In the event that Griner is found guilty of importing illicit narcotics into Russia, the Russian prosecutor has urged her to get a 9-1/2 year jail term. Griner is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and WNBA star.

On February 17, Griner was stopped at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport because her baggage included vape cartridges containing hashish oil. She admitted guilt but said she had not planned to harm anybody or bring a prohibited drug into Russia.

Following the guilty verdict, US President Joe Biden issued a statement.

The statement stated, "Today, American citizen Brittney Griner got a jail sentence. That is one more indication of what the world already knew: Russia is unlawfully holding Brittney." It's outrageous, and I demand that Russia free her as soon as possible so she may be with her wife, family, friends, and teammates.

My government will continue to exert unrelenting effort and explore all options to return Brittney and Paul Whelan securely to their home as quickly as possible.

On Thursday, the WNBA also issued a statement.

In a tearful speech before the decision, Griner begged the court to see that what she had done was wrong.

My parents taught me two key lessons: first, accept responsibility for your actions; and second, work hard for whatever you have. I pleaded guilty to my charges because of this.

Before sobbing in court, Griner stated, "I made an honest mistake and I hope that in your judgement, that it doesn't terminate my life here."

The Texan athlete was thrust into the geopolitical tumult that started when President Vladimir Putin launched soldiers into Ukraine on February 24 because of the vape cartridges.

U.S. President Joe Biden is under pressure to act on behalf of Americans detained in Russia at a time when ties between the two countries are at their most tense since the 1962 Cuban missile crisis.

Griner was illegally arrested, according to the United States, which offered to trade Griner and former Marine Paul Whelan for Russian inmates.

According to a source with knowledge of the issue, Washington was open to exchanging the convicted weapons dealer, Viktor Bout, whose story served as the basis for the Nicolas Cage-starring 2005 Hollywood blockbuster Lord of War.

According to Russian authorities, no agreement has been reached. They contend that Griner, referred to by many basketball fans as "BG," broke the law and should be punished appropriately.

Griner said, "I know everyone is bringing up political pawns and politics, but I hope it is far from this courtroom."

Both medical and recreational marijuana use is forbidden in Russia.

Griner showed up to the hearing wearing a grey T-shirt and spectacles with a circular rim. She held up a team photo of UMMC Ekaterinburg, the club she played for in Russia during the WNBA summer, before settling into the defendant's cage.

In her testimony last week, Griner expressed surprise at how the vape cartridges wound up in her suitcase while she was returning to Russia to join UMMC Ekaterinburg for the playoffs.

The first overall choice in the 2013 WNBA draft, Griner, remarked, "I still don't understand to this day how they wound up in my suitcase." If I were to speculate as to how they got into my baggage, I would say that I was rushing to pack.

Because medicinal marijuana has fewer adverse effects than other medications, professional athletes often take it as a therapy for chronic ailments. Griner had been given a prescription for it in the United States.