Brittney Griner convicted, sentenced to nine years in prison

Brittney Griner remains detained in Russia. TASS

WNBA star Brittney Griner convicted in Russia, sentenced to nine years in prison

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Steve DelVecchio | Last updated 8/4/22

The United States government is in the process of working on a deal to bring Brittney Griner home, but the WNBA star has been sentenced in the meantime.

Griner was convicted on Thursday and sentenced to nine years in prison. Prosecutors were seeking a 9.5-year prison sentence on the drug charges.

As ESPN’s TJ Quinn notes, the sentence is essentially a formality. Griner will only be detained for as long as it takes the U.S. to reach an agreement with Russia. Now that the trial has ended, a resolution may come more quickly.

Crucial to note: whatever Griner's verdict, whether it's a year or 10, it's a formality.
*The length of her detention will be decided by how long it takes for Russia and the U.S. to strike a deal.*
The end of the trial means negotiations should accelerate. https://t.co/IUTMRxDUK2

— T.J. Quinn (@TJQuinnESPN) August 4, 2022

Griner has been in custody since Feb. 17, when authorities found vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport. U.S. officials confirmed that they made an offer for a prisoner swap, though it is unclear where the negotiations stand.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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