Brittney Griner trial - live: Wife describes ‘gut-wrenching time’ in rally with Al Sharpton
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More than four months after her arrest in Moscow, US women’s basketball star Brittney Griner has returned to court for the continuation of her trial for drug charges.
The two-time Olympian was led into court at Khimki City in handcuffs, clutching a photo of her wife Cherelle. She was joined by her lawyers and US embassy staff. Only a few journalists are permitted in court.
The charges against her include intentionally transporting narcotics. Facing up to 10 years in prison in Russia, Griner pleaded guilty but added there was no intent to break the law and she had packed in a hurry. She is hoping for leniency from the court.
Griner will give testimony later with the next court hearing scheduled for 14 July. Elizabeth Rood of the US Embassy was able to speak with her in court and share with her a letter from President Joe Biden.
A centre for the Phoenix Mercury, Griner had played for UMMC Ekaterinburg in Russia during the WNBA off-season, Griner was arrested when Russian airport security say they found vape cartridges containing hash oil in her luggage.
Russian officials have said Griner can seek clemency or appeal after any verdict is handed down.
What is hashish oil and how did it land Brittney Griner in a Russian courtroom?
WNBA star Brittney Griner was on her way to Russia to play basketball when customs officials allegedly discovered contraband in her bag.
According to the Russians, Mr Griner allegedly packed hashish oil in her bag, likely in the form of a vape.
It was that discovery that led to her now five month detention in Russia. On Friday, Ms Griner appeared in Russian court for the first time and faced charges of smuggling less than a gram of hash oil inside of her luggage. If convicted, she could face up to 10 years in prison.
But what is it?
What is hashish oil and how did it land Brittney Griner in a Russian courtroom?
Ms Griner’s appeared for her first court hearing on Friday
What has Russia said about Brittney Griner?
Russia has defended the arrest of US women’s basketball star Brittney Griner, pushing back on claims by the Biden administration that her detention in the country is “illegal”.
In a statement, Russian authorities said 31-year-old Ms Griner was detained by Moscow police in February based on “objective facts and evidence”.
“She was caught red-handed while trying to smuggle hash oil,” the statement, issued by Rusia’s foreign ministry to CNN, said. “In Russia, this is a crime.”
Russia defends arrest of WNBA star Brittney Griner: ‘She was caught red-handed’
Comments came ahead of detention hearing in Moscow for Olympic gold medalist
Brittney Griner ‘only playing’ in Russia due to gender pay gap, says US teammates
Basketball star Brittney Griner - who appeared in a court in Moscow this week - was only playing in Russia because of the low wages paid to women athletes in the US, which her friends and colleagues say make it tough to make a living.
Griner, 31, who was brought to a court in the Moscow suburb of Khimki in handcuffs, has been charged with drug smuggling after she was arrested at an airport allegedly carrying cannabis oil in her luggage. She faces up to ten years in jail if convicted.
Her supporters say she is the victim of wrongful arrest and have called on President Joe Biden and others to press for her release. She was detained one week before Russia invaded Ukraine.
Her wife, Cherelle Griner, told CNN she’s struggled to keep her composure, while urging the US authorities to do more.
Andrew Buncombe has more.
Brittney Griner ‘only playing’ in Russia due to gender pay gap, says US teammates
‘As painful as this is - it’s going to force us to have a real conversation’
ICYMI: Griner writes letter to Biden pleading for help in obtaining freedom from Russia
WNBA player Brittney Griner has written a letter to President Joe Biden pleading for help in freeing her from jail in Russia.
Ms Griner was detained in February by Russian authorities after customs officials allegedly found cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage.
In excerpts shared by her representatives, she writes: “As I sit here in a Russian prison, alone with my thoughts and without the protection of my wife, family, friends, Olympic jersey, or any accomplishments, I’m terrified I might be here forever.”
Brittney Griner appeals to Joe Biden for help obtaining freedom from Russia
Basketball star tells president ‘I’m terrified I might be here forever’
Griner escorted into court for hearing clutching picture of wife Cherelle
WNBA star Brittney Griner has been escorted into court for the second day of hearings in her trial on charges of smuggling drugs into Russia.
Ms Griner was arrested in February at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport after some hash oil was detected and found in her luggage, for which she now could face a prison sentence of up to ten years.
Dressed in red and wearing handcuffs, the two-time Olympian was clutching a bottle of water and a folder of papers topped with a screenshot of her wife Cherelle, who has sat for interviews demanding the US government do more to secure her release.
Ms Griner was later joined in the courtroom by three US embassy representatives and her lawyers. No TV cameras and only a few journalists are allowed in.
Rev Al Sharpton asks Biden to help arrange clergy visit to Griner
MSNBC host Reverend Al Sharpton has called on President Joe Biden to help him arrange a visit to see WNBA star Brittney Griner at her prison in Russia.
“It’s my intention to be in Russia next week. And I hope the White House will help to make it possible for me to do a clergy visit to let her know of the support and to let her know that her family and everyone is concerned about her and pray with her,” Mr Sharpton said on Morning Joe on Wednesday morning.
The reverend said he had spoken with Ms Griner’s father about the visit and that seeing her in person was important to establish how well she is being treated.
Ms Griner has been in contact with US Embassy staff and has written regularly to her wife and pleaded directly to President Biden, but visits have been difficult given Russia’s diplomatic and eocnomic isolation over its war in Ukraine.
Mr Sharpton said he wants to “bring a direct message back to this president from her and to hear from her. And you must remember as her wife has told me, she’s in a prison where most of the people can’t even talk English. She can’t even communicate with the people that run the prison. She’s in a Russian jail.”
He added: “This is atrocious at best. We don’t even know if she’s even remotely guilty of what they’re saying. Is she being used as some political tool for Putin? We don’t know. Which is why we want to go.”
US official shared Biden letter with Griner at court
US Embassy charges d’affaires Elizabeth Rood tells the media she spoke with Brittney Griner in the courtroom today.
Ms Griner told Ms Rood she is eating well, is able to read books, and under the circumstances, she is doing well.
“Most importantly, I was able to share with Ms Griner a letter from President Biden, and Ms Griner was able to read that letter,” says Ms Rood. “I would like again to emphasise the commitment of the US government at the very highest levels to bring home Ms Griner and all US citizens wrongfully detained. As well as the commitment of the US Embassy in Moscow to care for and protect the interest of all US citizens detained or imprisoned in Russia.”
Griner pleads guilty
US basketball player Brittney Griner pleaded guilty in a Russian court on Thursday to drugs charges that could see her face 10 years in prison, a Reuters journalist reported from the courtroom.
Griner’s family have called on US President Joe Biden to step up efforts to secure the WNBA star’s release.
“I’d like to plead guilty, your honour. But there was no intent. I didn’t want to break the law,” Griner said, speaking English which was then translated into Russian for the court.
“I’d like to give my testimony later. I need time to prepare,” she added.
The next court hearing was scheduled for 14 July.
Reuters
ICYMI: Griner’s wife calls out lack of Biden action to free WNBA star from Russia detention
Brittney Griner’s wife Cherelle has said she finds it “very disheartening” that she still has not heard back from the White House after the WNBA star sent a handwritten letter to President Joe Biden.
Ms Griner appealed directly to the president to help her efforts to win freedom from detention in Russia on alleged drug charges involving hashish oil.
Her family has had no success in contacting the president regarding the issue, which led the Phoenix Mercury centre to write to Mr Biden in person.
Brittney Griner’s wife calls out Biden’s lack of action to free WNBA star from Russia
‘My wife is struggling, and we have to help her,’ Cherelle Griner tells Gayle King on CBS Mornings
White House insists Brittney Griner a ‘priority’
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Tuesday said the case of WNBA star and US olympian Brittney Griner’s continued detention in Russia is “a priority” for President Joe Biden and his administration after a letter from the basketball player to Mr Biden was made public by Ms Griner’s family.
“This is an issue that is a priority for this President,” said Ms Jean-Pierre, who noted that the US has classified Ms Griner as being “wrongfully detained” by the Russian government.
Andrew Feinberg reports.
Biden won’t meet Brittney Griner’s family but White House insists she’s a ‘priority’
‘Clearly, we believe she was wrongfully detained, we believe she needs to come home’
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