OUT BASKETBALL STAR BRITTNEY GRINER PLEADS GUILTY TO DRUG CHARGES IN RUSSIA
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Out American basketball player, Brittney Griner has pleaded guilty to drug charges in Russia.
However, she maintains that she did not intentionally break the law.
In court, Griner said, “I’d like to plead guilty, your honour.”
She continued, “But there was no intent. I didn’t want to break the law.”
Could Face Up To 10 Years in Prison
Griner’s next court date is July 14.
Under Russian law, if convicted, Griner can spend five to 10 years in prison.
By pleading guilty, Alexander Boykov, Griner’s lawyer, is hoping for a more lenient sentence.
The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) All-Star was arrested in Moscow on February 17.
Since then, there have been continued efforts to secure her release.
On May 29, the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) asked President Biden to step in. They tweeted, “There is so much heartbreak and hurt in our country right now. @POTUS, please use all available resources to get #BrittneyGriner home”
There is so much heartbreak and hurt in our country right now. @POTUS, please use all available resources to get #BrittneyGriner home. We need something to rally around and build upon. Visit https://t.co/Ewtjzam4BW to learn more and take action. #WeAreBG 🧵1/6 pic.twitter.com/vNTO48LJIq
— WNBPA (@TheWNBPA) May 28, 2022
The Russian Federal Customs Service released a video on March 5, claiming that they had detained Griner after finding vape cartridges that contained hashish oil in her checked baggage.
The Russian Federal Customs Service have released this video in which airport security are seen going through the luggage of a passenger identified as Brittney Griner. pic.twitter.com/gHJ8XoMYvF
— Bryan Armen Graham (@BryanAGraham) March 5, 2022
According to the Russian Customs Service, drug-sniffing dogs alerted them to the presence of a banned substance and a subsequent search uncovered the vape cartridges.
