WASHINGTON (AP) — WNBA star Brittney Griner is at her “absolute weakest moment in life right now” as she faces a listening to in Russia later this month for her attraction of a nine-year jail sentence for drug possession, Griner’s spouse mentioned in an interview aired Thursday.
Cherelle Griner instructed “CBS Mornings” that her spouse, a two-time Olympic gold medalist who was taking part in in Russia throughout the WNBA offseason, is afraid of being forgotten by the United States.
“She’s very afraid about being left and forgotten in Russia, or just completely used to the point of her detriment,” Cherelle Griner mentioned.
She mentioned Brittney Griner instructed her in a telephone name that she felt “like my life just doesn’t matter.”
“Like, y’all don’t see the need to get me back home? Am I just nothing?” Cherelle Griner quoted her spouse as saying. It wasn’t clear when the decision occurred.
Brittney Griner was convicted Aug. 4 after Russian police mentioned they discovered vape canisters with hashish oil in her baggage at Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow. Her protection legal professionals mentioned she had been prescribed hashish for ache. The WNBA star mentioned she had inadvertently packed them and had no legal intent.
She is interesting her jail sentence; the listening to is scheduled for Oct. 25. But Cherelle Griner mentioned after that listening to, her spouse may doubtlessly be moved to a labor camp elsewhere in Russia.
“My brain can’t even fathom it,” she mentioned within the CBS interview.
President Joe Biden met with Cherelle Griner on the White House final month. He additionally sat down with Elizabeth Whelan, the sister of Paul Whelan, one other American at the moment imprisoned in Russia. The Biden administration mentioned in July that it had made a “substantial proposal” to get them residence. The administration has not supplied specifics about its proposal, however an individual accustomed to the matter beforehand confirmed it had supplied to launch Viktor Bout, a convicted Russian arms supplier imprisoned within the U.S.
Cherelle Griner mentioned the president is “doing what he can, but there’s another party in this situation.” She mentioned it’s going to take Russian President Vladimir Putin altering his mindset.
Though Brittney Griner was arrested in February — amid escalated tensions due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine —- the couple didn’t converse on the telephone till August. Cherelle Griner mentioned the primary dialog was “just so delightful” and felt optimistic that her spouse would survive the ordeal. But the second dialog, she mentioned, “was the most disturbing phone call I’ve ever experienced.”
“You could hear that she was not OK,” Cherelle Griner mentioned.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”