This Thursday, WNBA player Brittney Griner pleaded guilty to drug charges in a Russian court. The detained athlete could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted of large-scale transportation of drugs.
Griner appeared in court with a police escort, handcuffed and clad in a bright red T-shirt and sports trousers. She held a picture of her wife Cherelle Griner as she entered the room full of journalists.
As we previously reported, Griner was detained back in February at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport after vape canisters with cannabis oil allegedly were found in her luggage. Reports quoted Griner saying that she had acted unintentionally because she was packing in haste. “I’d like to plead guilty, your honor,” Griner said per Reuters, speaking to the court. “But there was no intent. I didn’t want to break the law. I’d like to give my testimony later. I need time to prepare,” she reportedly added.
Griner’s court appearance comes days after the basketball player wrote in a letter to President Biden that she is “terrified I might be here forever” and as the White House faces mounting public pressure to bring her home.
Griner’s wife has also put pressure on the Biden administration to do more to bring her wife home. After saying that they have not been responsive to her calls, Biden confirmed on Wednesday that he finally spoke to her in hopes of getting her wife out of prison.
She said in an Instagram post, “This morning I received a call from President Biden and Vice President Harris. I am grateful to the both of them for the time they spent with me and for the commitment they expressed to getting BG home. While I will remain concerned and outspoken until she is back home, I am hopeful in knowing that the President read my wife’s letter and took the time to respond. I know BG will be able to find comfort in knowing she has not been forgotten. I want to thank everyone who has fought so hard for BG. It means the world to my entire family as well as my wife.
Please continue to pray for my family and all the other families of the wrongfully detained, as our pain remains active until our loved ones are brought home. Let’s continue to use our voices to speak the names of all the wrongfully detained Americans and support the Administration as they do what it takes to bring them home today.”
RELATED: Brittney Griner Appears In Russian Court for Preliminary Hearing Ahead of Trial
Cherrelle has yet to react to news about her wife pleading guilty today. We will continue to keep you updated as this story develops.
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