Basketball star Brittney Griner's appeal case against her nine-year prison sentence for drug possession in Russia will begin today.
"It's like a movie for me. I'm like, 'In no world did I ever thought, you know, our president and a foreign nation president would be sitting down having to discuss the freedom of my wife.' And so to me, as much as everybody's telling me a different definition of what B.G. is, it feels to me as if she's a hostage," Cherelle said."It terrifies me because, I mean, when you watch movies, like, sometimes those situations don't end well.
The nine-year sentence was close to the maximum of 10 years, and Griner's lawyers argued after the conviction that the punishment was excessive. They said in similar cases defendants have received an average sentence of about five years, with about a third of them granted parole. Reflecting the growing pressure on the Biden administration to do more to bring Griner home, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken took the unusual step of revealing publicly in July that Washington had made a"substantial proposal" to get Griner home, along with Paul Whelan, an American serving a 16-year sentence in Russia for espionage.
In September, U.S. President Joe Biden met with Cherelle Griner, the wife of Brittney Griner, as well as the player's agent, Lindsay Colas. Biden also sat down separately with Elizabeth Whelan, Paul Whelan's sister.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Brittney Griner will appeal her prison sentence in Russia on Tuesday'Brittney does not expect any miracles to happen but hopes that the appeal court will hear the arguments of the defense and reduce the term,' her lawyers said in a statement.
Read more »
WNBA star Brittney Griner is 'pessimistic' as her appeal decision loomsShe was sentenced to nine years in prison after Russian authorities said she had vape canisters with cannabis oil in her luggage. The U.S. says she is wrongfully detained.
Read more »
Brittney Griner 'very nervous' ahead of drug charges appeal in Russia: What we knowWNBA star Brittney Griner will have her appeal, seeking a reduction of the nine-year sentence she received for drug charges, heard Tuesday in Russia.
Read more »
Jailed U.S. basketball star Griner 'not expecting miracles' at Russian appealU.S. basketball star Brittney Griner 'does not expect miracles' at her appeal hearing on Tuesday against a nine-year Russian jail term for having cannabis oil in her luggage, her lawyers said in a statement.
Read more »
Brittney Griner will appeal her prison sentence in Russia on Tuesday'Brittney does not expect any miracles to happen but hopes that the appeal court will hear the arguments of the defense and reduce the term,' her lawyers said in a statement.
Read more »