Russian judge sentences WNBA star Griner to 9 years for Cannabis possession



Russian judges have sentenced WNBA star Brittney Griner to 9 years in prison on drugs chargers.

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Griner, who plays for Phoenix Mercury was arrested in February in possession of cannabis at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo. Griner plead guilty for all charges and apologized to her teammates, her fans and the city of Yekaterinburg. Her lawyer said said she was distraught by the decision, whilst the US deputy embassy chief in Moscow described the charges as a ‘miscarriage of justice’. US officials say Russia wants to swap Griner and Paul Whelan, a former US marine arrested on spying charges in 2020, for the convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout.

Russian court jails US basketball player Brittney Griner for nine years on drug charges ► https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/aug/04/russian-court-convicts-us-basketball-star-brittney-griner-on-drug-charges

US’s proposed swap for Griner and Whelan met with skepticism and fury ► https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/aug/01/brittney-griner-paul-whelan-viktor-bout-swap-biden-administration

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