CNN
—
Brittney Griner is appealing her verdict in Russian court Tuesday, almost three months after the US basketball star was convicted of smuggling medicine into the nation and sentenced to 9 years in jail.
Griner’s appeal will be considered in the Moscow Regional Court in a listening to at which her attorneys are anticipated to argue the decision was unfair and unjustified underneath Russian legislation, they advised CNN. Griner, 32, will attend the listening to through video convention from her detention middle.
The result of the enchantment is predicted right this moment, in accordance with the legal professionals, Alexander Boykov of the Moscow Authorized Middle and Maria Blagovolina, a associate at Rybalkin, Gortsunyan, Dyakin and Companions legislation agency. The courtroom listening to the enchantment can select to go away Griner’s verdict in place, overrule it and ship it again to the decrease courtroom, or cut back Griner’s jail time period, they mentioned.
The listening to was set to start at 11 a.m. native time, however was postponed for 2 hours on the request of Griner’s legal professionals. They didn’t specify causes for the request.
If the Khimki metropolis courtroom’s choice is upheld, the “authorized course of will likely be mainly over,” Boykov mentioned. Within the meantime, Griner, a two-time US Olympic gold medalist, is worried she must serve out the rest of her sentence in Russia if her enchantment is unsuccessful and if the US and Russia can’t strike a deal for a prisoner swap, he mentioned.
Each attorneys have indicated they felt Griner’s nine-year sentence was excessive, with Blagovolina calling it “very extreme for this kind of crime and this quantity of this substance.”
The US State Division has maintained Griner is wrongfully detained, and her case has prompted concern that she is getting used as a political pawn amid the backdrop of Russia’s conflict towards Ukraine. The Biden administration not too long ago communicated with Russia to attempt to safe the discharge of Griner and imprisoned American Paul Whelan, a senior administration official told CNN final week.
Griner was initially taken into custody at a Moscow airport on February 17 – days earlier than the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – when authorities accused her of attempting to smuggle lower than a gram of hashish oil in her baggage. Griner performs in Russia throughout the WNBA’s offseason.
The All-Star middle for the Phoenix Mercury pleaded guilty to drug costs, telling the courtroom throughout her trial that vape cartridges containing the hashish oil had been in her baggage as a result of she had packed her luggage in a rush.
“Brittney could be very sturdy individual and has a champion’s character,” Blagovolina and Boykov advised CNN in a written assertion forward of Griner’s enchantment. “Nevertheless, she after all has her highs and lows as she is severely burdened being separated from her family members for over eight months.”
“She could be very nervous ready for the enchantment listening to,” they added. “Brittney doesn’t count on any miracles to occur however hopes that the enchantment courtroom will hear the arguments of the protection and cut back the time period.”
Whereas Griner’s case performs out, US officers have individually proposed a possible prisoner swap with Russia, providing to change convicted Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout for Griner and Whelan, an American citizen who’s been held by Russia for alleged espionage since 2018. Whelan, who has constantly denied the fees, was convicted and sentenced in June 2020 to 16 years in jail.
Regardless of the “fairly persistent” tempo of discussions between the US and Russia to safe the Individuals’ launch, the official mentioned that the Biden administration has but to obtain a critical counteroffer from the Russian facet.
“They’re not nonresponsive. I might say that they proceed to reply with one thing that they know to not be possible or accessible,” the official mentioned of the Russian response.
Former Gov. Invoice Richardson of New Mexico – whose namesake middle works on behalf of households of hostages and detainees, and who not too long ago traveled to Russia to debate the attainable launch of Griner and Whelan – not too long ago said he was “cautiously optimistic” the 2 Individuals might be launched.
Richardson, who additionally served as US ambassador to the United Nations underneath President Invoice Clinton, mentioned he’s working with each their households and coordinating with the White Home to work towards their releases. The previous governor performed a job within the launch of Trevor Reed, an American veteran detained in Russia for 3 years before his release in April.
In the meantime, Griner’s spouse Cherelle and their supporters have continued to highlight her case and preserve assist and strain to make sure she’s introduced dwelling, beginning a #WeAreBG marketing campaign on social media. After months of pushing, Cherelle Griner met last month with Biden, telling CNN the assembly illustrated the administration’s dedication to bringing her spouse dwelling.
“It wasn’t a gathering the place the President advised me the information that I need to hear,” Cherelle Griner mentioned. “It wasn’t that, but it surely was a kind of nonetheless pivotal conferences the place … it allowed me to believe in what he’s doing proper now.”
As for Griner, she turned 32 last week, celebrating her birthday in a cell within the suburbs of Moscow, her attorneys advised CNN. They spent a number of hours along with her in an effort to “cheer her up” as a lot as they might, relaying birthday messages from world wide.
“Thanks everybody for combating so onerous to get me dwelling,” she mentioned in a message shared by her attorneys. “All of the assist and love are undoubtedly serving to me.”
