Brittney Griner Appeal Denied, 9-Year Russian Prison Sentence Upheld
Former Baylor Bear and WNBA Superstar Brittney Griner's appeal to her nine-year prison sentence was denied by a Russian court on Tuesday.
Griner was detained by the Russian government on February 17, after allegedly being found to be in possession of illegal cannabis oil cartridges and arrested at a Moscow airport.
Griner was then sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison in September.
Griner issued a guilty plea to a Russian court on July 7 and also included an ask for mercy from the judge. Griner claimed that, while she did commit the crime, she did so inadvertently.
United States National security adviser Jake Sullivan released a statement, detailing the government's continued dialogue with the Russian government, as they continue to work towards bringing Griner back home.
“In recent weeks, the Biden-Harris Administration has continued to engage with Russia through every available channel and make every effort to bring home Brittney as well as to support and advocate for other Americans detained in Russia, including fellow wrongful detainee Paul Whelan,” Sullivan said, via CNN’s Natasha Bertrand. “The President has demonstrated that he is willing to go to extraordinary lengths and make tough decisions to bring Americans home, as his Administration has done successfully from countries around the world.
“The Administration remains in regular touch with representatives of the families, and we continue to admire their courage in the face of these unimaginable circumstances.”
The former Baylor star was the No. 1 overall pick in 2013. As a WNBA Champion, eight-time All-Star, and Olympic gold medalist, she's started all 254 games in her WNBA career while averaging 17.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 2.8 blocks on 56 percent shooting.
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