Brittney Griner Fears Having To Spend Full Nine-Year Prison Sentence In Russia, Says Her Lawyer

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Brittney Griner is fearful about her future and has started to wonder whether she may have to serve her full nine-year prison sentence in Russia, her lawyer Alexander D. Boykov has shared. Since a judge found the athlete guilty of drug possession charges in August, Griner’s legal team has gone above and beyond to appeal the court’s verdict, though the process has been much slower than one would’ve thought.

Griner is reportedly only allowed to be out outside once a day, and she utilizes that time to take a walk around a small courtyard before she is confined back into her cell which she shares with two other cellmates. As she’s now in her ninth month in detention, Boykov says his client is remaining hopeful that a hearing for her appeal on October 25 will result in some positive news, but she’s certainly not optimistic about it.

RELATED: Brittney Griner’s Appeal Hearing Has Been Set For October 25, But Legal Process Could Take Months To Complete, Says Her Lawyer

“She is not yet absolutely convinced that America will be able to take her home,” he said after speaking to Griner on Tuesday. “She is very worried about what the price of that will be, and she is afraid that she will have to serve the whole sentence here in Russia.” President Biden has since provided an update, saying the U.S. has not had any further communication with Russian president, Vladimir Putin, concerning Griner’s potential release, though he insists on discussing the matter further with him at the 2022 G20 Bali summit next month.

As previously revealed, Griner was detained at a Moscow airport back in February after carrying vape cartridges with hash oil in her luggage bag. She stressed that the cartridges had been packed by accident as she was rushing to make her flight, but law enforcement officials did not deem that to be a good enough excuse to free her.

It’s believed that there’s still a chance Putin will agree to free Griner under the condition that Biden agrees to free two or more Russian citizens who are currently held in U.S. prison wards.

RELATED: WNBA Players Boycott Playing In Russia Amid Brittney Griner’s Imprisonment

“She suffers a lot without her family because she hasn’t seen them for so long and it’s very difficult to talk to them in any way,” Boykov continued.

It was just last week when Griner’s wife, Cherelle Griner, told CBS Mornings that since her partner’s arrest, she has only been able to speak to her on two occasions. Their last conversation was so heartbreaking for Cherelle, who said she broke down in tears and wept for almost three days as she, too, awaits some positive news concerning Griner’s case.

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