Judge Anna Sotnikova of the Khimki town court delivered the particular sentence and fined Griner 1 million rubles, or about $16, 400. The girl said the court took into account Griner’s partial admission associated with guilt, remorse for that deed, state of health and charitable routines. Prosecutors had inquired that she be sentenced to 9. 5 years in jail.
Prior to the verdict, Griner apologized to the court and requested leniency in an psychological speech.
“I never designed to hurt anybody, I never meant to place in jeopardy the Ruskies population, I certainly not meant to break any kind of laws here, ” Griner said. “I made an honest error and I hope that in your ruling it doesn’t end my entire life here. I know everyone keeps talking about politics pawn and national politics, but I hope that will that is far from this courtroom.
“I want to state again that I experienced no intent on breaking any Russian laws. I had simply no intent. I did not really conspire or intend to commit this crime, ” she additional.
The verdict comes about six months after the 31-year-old was arrested in a Moscow airport and accused by Ruskies prosecutors of wanting to smuggle less than 1 g associated with cannabis oil in her luggage. The two-time US Olympic basketball gold medalist pleaded guilty to drug charges last month plus said she unintentionally packed the medications while in a rush.
The US State Department maintains Griner is wrongfully detained, and US authorities have offered a potential prisoner swap with Russian federation in an attempt to bring her home safely.
Griner’s lawyers, Maria Blagovolina and Alexander Boykov, mentioned in a written statement they will appeal your decision and criticized the court for disregarding their evidence.
“We are extremely disappointed by the verdict. As legal professionals, we believe that the court should be fair to everyone regardless of nationality. The court completely ignored all the evidence of the defense, and most importantly, the responsible plea, ” someone said in the statement.
“This contradicts the existing legal practice. Taking into account the amount of the substance (not to mention the defects of the expertise) and the plea, the verdict is totally unreasonable. We will certainly file an charm. ”
US President Joe Biden said the extended sentence was “unacceptable” plus called on Russian federation to release her immediately.
“Today, American citizen Brittney Griner received the prison sentence that is one more reminder associated with what the world already knew: Russia will be wrongfully detaining Brittney. It’s unacceptable, and I call on Russia to produce her immediately so she can be with her wife, family members, friends, and teammates, ” Biden mentioned in a statement.
Charge d’Affaires of the US Charge in Russia, At the Rood, said the particular sentence was a “miscarriage of justice” plus said US officials will work to bring Griner home safely.
Protection asked for leniency in closing arguments
The hearing Thursday night began shortly after Griner arrived at court within handcuffs, escorted simply by Russian officers in to the defendant’s cage. Once uncuffed, she spoke with her lawful team and then held up a photo of the UMMC Ekaterinburg basketball group, the Russian team she played with regard to during the WNBA offseason.
In closing arguments, defense lawyer Blagovolina, a partner from Rybalkin, Gortsunyan, Dyakin and Partners lawyer, argued that Griner never used weed in Russia and that she never had the intention to do so. She had no need to bring the vape cartridges to Russia, the lawyer additional. All this confirms the entire absence of intent in her actions, Blagovolina argued.
Even if Griner actually used medical cannabis, it was only at home back in Arizona, rare and only with a doctor’s prescription, she added. She couldn’t have got known how rigid the laws were in Russia, Blagovolina said.
Boykov also argued Griner had no opportunity to properly look at the court documents. This individual said that the Russian constitution guarantees everybody the right to use their own native language as well as the free choice of the language of communication.
Boykov cited an instance when a language interpreter provided to Griner flipped by way of a lengthy document provided by an investigator regarding translation and then told Griner, “Basically, it means that you are guilty. inch
Through the entire trial, Griner’s lawyers have laid out quarrels undermining the prosecution’s case and claiming her detention had not been handled correctly right after she was stopped February 17 by personnel at the Sheremetyevo International Airport.
Her detention, lookup and arrest had been “improper, ” Boykov said last week, noting more details would be uncovered during closing quarrels.
After she was stopped in the airport terminal, Griner was made to sign documents that she failed to fully understand, she testified. At first, she stated, she was making use of Google translate on her phone but was afterwards moved to another room where her phone was taken and she was made to sign more documents.
No lawyer was present, Griner testified, and her rights are not explained to her. Individuals rights would include access to an attorney as soon as she was detained and the right to understand what she was thought of. Under Ruskies law, she must have been informed of her rights within three hours associated with her arrest.
On Tuesday, at the seventh hearing in her situation, a defense specialist testified that the examination of the substance contained in Griner’s vape ink cartridges did not comply with Russian law. Blagovolina also told CNN the girl team’s experts discovered “a few defects” in the machines utilized to measure the substance.
At demo, Griner testified this wounderful woman has a doctor’s prescribed for medical marijuana and had no purpose of bringing the drug into Russia. Subsequent her detention in February, she has been tested for medications and was thoroughly clean, her lawyers formerly said.
“We continue to persist that, by indiscretion, in a hurry, she loaded her suitcase plus did not pay attention to the idea that substances allowed for use in the United States ended up with this suitcase and arrived in the Russian Federation, ” Boykov, associated with Moscow Legal Center, has said.
The trial provides played out among the backdrop of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the country’s saber-rattling with the US plus Europe.
Last week, CNN reported that President Joe Biden’s administration proposed a prisoner swap along with Russia , providing to release a convicted Russian arms trafficker, Viktor Bout, in exchange for Griner plus another American detainee, John Whelan . Russian officials countered the US offer , multiple sources familiar with the discussions have said, but US officials did not accept the demand as a legitimate counteroffer.
The Kremlin also cautioned Tuesday that US “megaphone diplomacy” will never help negotiations to get a prisoner exchange concerning Griner. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow believes these types of talks should be “discrete. ”
Griner’s family, followers and WNBA teammates have continued to convey messages of solidarity and hope because they wait for the conclusion from the trial. Her WNBA team, the Phoenix Mercury, is expected to play the Connecticut Sun on Thursday night at 7 p. m. OU.
Just before trial proceedings last week, the WNBA players union tweeted , “Dear BG… It’s earlier in Moscow. Our day is finishing and yours is just beginning. Not a day time, not an hour passes that you’re not on this minds & within our hearts. ”