Brittney Griner sentenced to nine years in Russian prison, Biden responds

Evgenia Novozhenina/Pool Photo via AP

Brittney Griner, the WNBA star who was arrested in Russia and charged for smuggling marijuana into the country, has been sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison. 

Russian prosecutors argued that Griner should serve at least 9.5 years, making the request during their closing arguments in a court near Moscow nearly six months after Griner was detained at an airport with the illicit drugs. 

The Biden administration has been attempting to negotiate her release, even going so far as to propose the trade for a notorious Russian weapons dealer known as the “Merchant of Death,” according to insiders. 

“My parents taught me two important things: One, take ownership of your responsibilities, and two, work hard for everything that you have. That’s why I pled guilty to my charges,” Griner said. 

Griner acknowledged having vape charges filled with cannabis oil in her luggage in her guilty plea last month. Russian prosecutors argued that she broke the law deliberately – an argument that Griner’s defense team rejects. Griner’s defense team argued that the court ignored evidence of her defense and guilty plea. 

“I never meant to hurt anybody, I never meant to put in jeopardy the Russian population, I never meant to break any laws here,” Griner said ahead of the verdict in the Khimki city courthouse. “I made an honest mistake and I hope that in your ruling that it doesn’t end my life here. I know everybody keeps talking about political pawn and politics, but I hope that that is far from this courtroom.” 

A member of Griner’s defense team, Maria Blagovolina, argued that she brought the cartridges to Russia by mistake and only use cannabis as medicine, and only in Arizona where it is legal. 

U.S. President Joe Biden condemned the prosecution, claiming that the sentence was “unacceptable.” 

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

It is worth noting that millions of Americans remain incarcerated in U.S. prisons for committing drug-related crimes far less egregious than what Griner was convicted for in Russia.