In the meantime, Griner's defence team announced that they will appeal to the court in Khimki, close to Moscow, a decision from last Thursday.
Digital
Desk: US basketball player Brittney Griner was given a nine-year prison term
for drug offenses by a Russian court on Thursday.
Griner,
who is 31 years old, admitted using cannabis oil but told the judge that she
committed an "honest mistake." However, the court found her guilty of
drug trafficking and possession, and it nearly awarded her the maximum term
suggested by the prosecution.
In the
meantime, Griner's defence team announced that they will appeal to the court in
Khimki, close to Moscow, a decision from last Thursday.
The
American has already spent a significant amount of time in detention, the
presiding judge stated as she read the verdict.
"I
made a genuine error, and I sincerely hope that your decision will spare my
life. After both sides made their closing arguments, Griner had stated to the
court, "I did not plan or conspire to conduct this activity.
The basketball player added that she had to use translation software on her phone to communicate and that she had not been given access to a lawyer or a description of her rights during the first few hours of her imprisonment.
Continue Reading
