Brittney Griner
Britney Griner
Closing arguments - or whatever the Russian equivalent is - will be held today in the drug trial of American Olympian and WNBA star, Brittney Griner, who’s facing up to 10 years in a Russian prison for possession of illegal drugs.
She pleaded guilty to the charges. Her trial is all about sentencing.
Hey, kids, here’s something to remember: When traveling internationally don’t pack your drugs. Many foreign countries lack America’s tolerance for certain intoxicants and paraphernalia. Oh, and high-priced, smooth-talking American lawyers can’t get you out of deep trouble overseas.
Too late for Griner.
She’s been detained since February 17 when she was stopped at a Russian airport after inspectors found vape cartridges in her bags that contained cannabis oil. Griner’s defense is that she isn’t sure how they got there. She packed in a hurry.
Oopsie.
Griner’s friends and family have been pressuring the Biden administration to get her home, something that’s been complicated by Biden’s proxy war with Russia in Ukraine.
The athlete herself has reportedly written a letter to the president, begging for help.
Rather ironic, given that the center for the Phoenix Mercury WNBA team refused to come out of the locker room during the playing of the National Anthem in 2020. She was protesting the death of Breonna Taylor, who was mistakenly killed by police officers in Louisville. In fact, Griner lobbied to end the playing of the Star Spangled Banner at all WNBA games. In honor of Taylor, I guess.
Bet she wouldn’t mind hearing the strains of the National Anthem inside an American basketball arena now.
Regardless of her immaturity, Griner’s an American citizen being held abroad and our government has a duty to try to get her home. To do so, American diplomats have reportedly proposed a prisoner swap: They want to trade Griner for a guy named Viktor Bout, a convicted arms dealer serving a 25-year sentence in an Illinois prison.
Since it would seem like an unfair trade to give Russia an international arms dealer in exchange for a freakishly tall female athlete in possession of an illegal drug, the Biden administration reportedly wants a package deal: Griner and Paul Whelan, a former Marine who was convicted in 2018 of spying for the U.S.
To that, the Russians have reportedly asked for freedom for Vadim Krasikov, a convicted murderer in prison in Germany.
No matter, the Russians say no deal can be struck until Griner is sentenced, which could happen as early as today, according to news reports.
Biden seems willing to expend a lot of capital getting Brittney Griner out of Russia.
It will be interesting to see just how offended she is by the National Anthem once she’s finally home.
