Brittney Griner’s legal team has officially filed an appeal requesting her sentence either be shortened or thrown out entirely.
Back in February, Griner was arrested at a Russian airport for possession of cannabis oil; a drug illegal in Russia and punishable by up to ten years in prison. Earlier this month, Griner was convicted of her charges and sentenced to nine years in Russian prison.
The two-time Olympic gold medalist and Phoenix Mercury center, along with her wife and family, has been trying, to no avail, to get the U.S. government involved in order for her to be traded for Russian criminal, Viktor Bout. While President Joe Biden’s administration has been in contact with Griner and her legal team, so far, only rumors of a trade have surfaced, but nothing concrete has been set in motion.
Prior to Griner’s conviction, an offer was extended to Russia to bring home U.S. veteran Paul Whelan and Griner in exchange for Bout, but Russia has not agreed to any such trade. Bout is currently serving a 25-year sentence in the U.S. for conspiring to kill U.S. citizens, arms dealing and providing aid to a terrorist organization. Whelan is serving a 16-year sentence in Russia on an espionage conviction of which his legal team has said is a false conviction.
Over the weekend, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the Kremlin is ready for “a professional conversation and concrete steps” toward a prisoner exchange.
Griner has now been imprisoned for six months and has missed the entire WNBA regular season which ended over the weekend. She originally flew to Russia to play overseas in preparation for her season with the Mercury, as many WNBA players do during the offseason.
While the Department of Justice has previously shared, a conviction was needed in order for a trade to take place. Now that the conviction and sentencing has been handed down, it will be a waiting game to see what Russia agrees to, if anything.
With the ball fully in Russia’s court, Griner and her legal team will have to wait patiently and standby while Russian officials decide if the terms of the trade are worth their while.
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