Brittney Griner’s lawyer says the WNBA star is “very worried” she wont be released

Brittney Griner’s lawyers have opened up about the harsh conditions that the WNBA player is facing while in detainment.

Back in February, the Olympic gold medalist was arrested on drug charges after she was accused of carrying hashish oil in her luggage.

At the time of her detainment, Griner was an active player on the Russian basketball team UMMC Ekaterinburg.

After months of delays, the beloved talent’s trial finally started on 1 July. However during her second hearing, the US basketball star pleaded guilty to the drug charges, as reported by Reuters.

“I’d like to plead guilty, your honour. But there was no intent. I didn’t want to break the law,” the Phoenix Mercury player told the court. “I’d like to give my testimony later. I need time to prepare.”

A month later, Griner was found guilty of drug possession and smuggling with criminal intent by a Russian court.

The court sentenced Griner to nine years in a penal colony and fined the star a million rubles – approximately $16,300.

According to reports, the queer athlete’s defence described the verdict as “absolutely unreasonable” and said they “will certainly file an appeal”.

In a recent interview with The New York Times, Griner’s lawyer Alexandr D. Boykov shared an alarming update on the talented athlete and the harsh conditions she’s facing while in custody. 

“She has not been in as good condition as I could sometimes find her in, “he revealed to the publication.

Boykov went on to say that the Phoenix Mercury player is only allowed outside once a day and is confined to walking in a small courtyard for an hour. 

Alongside her brief time outside, the six-foot-nine player has been placed in a small cell with two other inmates as she awaits to be transferred to a Russian prison.

Days before Griner was sentenced, the Biden administration offered to exchange convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout as part of a deal to release Griner.

Antony Blinken, State Secretary, said that the White House had struck a deal with the Kremlin to secure her release.

However over the last couple of months, movement on the trade has reached a standstill. 

Due to the uncertainty of the situation, Griner has become worried and sceptical about her release – which in turn has significantly impacted her mental health. 

“She is not yet absolutely convinced that America will be able to take her home. She is very worried about what the price of that will be, and she is afraid that she will have to serve the whole sentence here in Russia,” Griner’s lawyer explained. 

Boykov recent update came a day after the Olympic athlete’s wife, Cherelle Griner, revealed she was suffering in confinement. 

“It was the most disturbing phone call I’d ever experienced,” she said in an interview with Gayle King for CBS Mornings. 

“You could hear that she was not OK. If you think about just a person suffering and when they have suffered to a max…. she was at the max that day.”

A hearing for Griner’s appeal is set to take place on 25 October. 

The post Brittney Griner’s lawyer says the WNBA star is “very worried” she wont be released appeared first on GAY TIMES.