Brittney Griner pleads guilty to Russian e-cigarette charges

MOSCOW – Jailed American basketball star Brittney Griner pleaded guilty to drug possession during her trial in Moscow on Thursday but said she had no intention of committing a crime.

Griner officials confirmed to The Associated Press that the WNBA star pleaded guilty to drug possession charges.

Russian news reports quoted Griner as saying through an interpreter at the court hearing that she acted unwittingly because she was packing in a hurry. Cannabis is legal for all adults in Arizona, where Griner plays for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury.

Griner was arrested at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport in February after vape canisters containing cannabis oil were allegedly found in her luggage. If convicted of large-scale drug trafficking, she faces up to ten years in prison.

The process started last week

The trial of the WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist began last week amid a growing chorus of calls for Washington to do more to secure her freedom nearly five months after her arrest.

Ahead of Thursday’s hearing, Russian police escorted Griner, handcuffed and wearing a bright red T-shirt and track pants, past a crowd of journalists into the courtroom.

The athlete was arrested at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport in February after vape canisters containing cannabis oil were allegedly found in her luggage. If convicted of large-scale drug trafficking, she faces up to ten years in prison.

Letter from President Biden

Elizabeth Rood, deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy in Moscow, told reporters after the hearing that she spoke to Griner in the courtroom and shared a letter from President Joe Biden that she read.

“She eats well, she can read books, and given the circumstances, she’s fine,” Rood said of Griner.

“I would like to reiterate the U.S. government’s commitment at the highest level to bring Ms. Griner and all wrongfully detained U.S. citizens home safely, as well as the U.S. Embassy in Moscow’s commitment to looking after the interests of and her to protect all US citizens who are detained or imprisoned in Russia,” Rood said.

Russian official: She is not ‘unlawfully detained’

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov balked at the US description of Briner as “wrongly imprisoned” and warned that “attempts by the American side to make noise in public … do not contribute to the practical resolution of problems”.

The White House said Biden called Griner’s wife Wednesday to reassure her that he was doing everything possible to secure the athlete’s release as soon as possible. They spoke after Biden read a letter from Griner in which she said she feared she would never return home.

Washington has not made its strategy public in this case, and the United States may have little leverage over Moscow because of the strong hostility stemming from Russian military actions in Ukraine. The State Department has labeled Griner unlawfully detained and placed her case under the supervision of its special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, effectively the government’s chief hostage negotiator.

Possible prisoner exchange in the future

When asked about the possibility of swapping Griner for a Russian jailed in the US, Ryabkov, the senior Russian diplomat, noted that until the end of her trial, “there are no formal or procedural grounds to talk about further steps.”

He warned that US criticism, including a description of Griner as wrongly imprisoned and derogatory comments about Russia’s judicial system, “makes it difficult to engage in a detailed discussion of a possible replacement.”

“The insistence with which the US government … describes as ‘wrongly detained’ those convicted of serious criminal charges and those awaiting the completion of investigations and court sentences reflects Washington’s refusal to to have a sober view of the outside world,” Ryabkov snapped.

process delayed

Griner’s trial was adjourned after it began last week because two scheduled witnesses failed to appear. Such delays are commonplace in Russian courts, and her detention has been granted until December 20, suggesting the trial could take months.

Although Griner’s supporters initially kept a low profile, calls to the United States grew louder after the first day of the trial.

Rev. Al Sharpton, one of America’s most prominent black activists, this week urged Biden to set up a prayer meeting with Griner, saying, “Four months is too long for this to go on and I hope the president follows up.” her request to come home.”

An organization called Win With Black Women sent Biden a letter stating that Secretary of State Antony Blinken “called Cherelle Griner, Brittney’s wife, and assured her and publicly stated that Brittney’s safe return was a matter of personal priority; However, we are concerned that the rhetoric does not appear to be consistent with the actions taken so far. We urge you to make a deal to bring Brittney home quickly.”

What a possible swap might entail

Russian news media have repeatedly speculated that Griner could be swapped out for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, nicknamed “The Merchant of Death,” who is serving a 25-year sentence in the US for conspiring to kill US citizens and Providing assistance to a terrorist organization.

Russia has been campaigning for Bout’s release for years. But the wide discrepancy between Griner’s alleged wrongdoing and Bout’s global deadly weapons trade could make such a swap uncomfortable for Washington.

Others have suggested she could be traded alongside Paul Whelan, a former naval and security director who is serving a 16-year sentence in Russia on a spying conviction the US has repeatedly described as intrigue.

Russia has shown no signs of retreat.

“This is a serious offense backed by indisputable evidence… Attempts to present the case as if the American had been illegally detained do not stand up,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexei Zaitsev said on Wednesday.

“The law has been violated and arguments about the benign nature of Griner’s addiction, which incidentally is a criminal offense in some US states, are inappropriate in this case,” he said.

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