Brittney Griner stood in front of a judge Thursday and pleaded guilty to drug charges in Russia. For months, the U.S. State Department has been standing by their belief that Griner has been wrongfully detained since February, but Griner’s lawyers confirming her plea today opens eyes to a new perspective.
Using an interpreter in court on Thursday, Griner shared that she never intended to break any laws. She went on to say that the drugs being in her luggage were due to her packing quickly and that she never meant to carry drugs in her suitcase.
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According to a source close to Griner, the decision to plead guilty was hers alone. Despite a 99% conviction rate in Russia, Griner, her lawyers and her family discussed entering the guilty plea to potentially receive a lesser sentence than the maximum ten year sentence she is eligible to receive based on the charges she is facing.
While it has been speculated that Griner could be traded in a prisoner swap for Russian arms dealer, Viktor Bout, there has been no confirmation that a trade is in the works. In addition, a swap would require Griner to be convicted of her crimes first and sign a document stating her admittance of fault before she could be handed over to U.S. officials. That is precisely what happened with Trevor Reed, the detained U.S. Marine, prior to his return to the U.S.
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On Monday, Griner had sent a letter to President Biden asking that he not forget her in Russia. On Wednesday, President Biden and Vice President Harris spoke by phone to Griner’s wife, Cherelle following the letter that was received. While Griner’s wife is glad that she has finally heard from the president, she still can’t sleep easily at night knowing her wife is still locked up.
“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,” she said. “I know BG will be able to find comfort in knowing she has not been forgotten.”
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Griner will appear in court again on July 14th. It remains to be seen what the rest of her trial and sentencing will look like having entered a guilty plea.
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