Brittney Griner’s legal spouse, Cherelle, recently claimed that she feels Griner is a “hostage” despite Griner pleading guilty and being convicted of drug charges.
Brittney Griner via 11Alive YouTube
Griner was arrested in Russia in February at a Moscow airport after authorities searched her luggage and discovered a number of vape cartridges containing hashish oil. She was subsequently charged on drug possession and smuggling charges.
In July she plead guilty telling the Russian court, “I’d like to plead guilty, your honor. But there was no intent. I didn’t want to break the law.”
Brittney Griner via ESPN YouTube
Before sentencing in August, Griner also stated, “I want to apologize to my teammates, my club, my fans and the city of (Yekaterinburg) for my mistake that I made and the embarrassment that I brought on them.”
“I want to also apologize to my parents, my siblings, the Phoenix Mercury organization back at home, the amazing women of the WNBA, and my amazing spouse back at home,” she continued. “I made an honest mistake and I hope that in your ruling it doesn’t end my life here.”
She was then sentenced to 9 years in prison and fined one million rubles or $16,200.
Brittney Griner via 11Alive YouTube
Following the sentencing President Joe Biden declared that Griner was being wrongfully detained.
He released a statement reading, “Today, American citizen Brittney Griner received a prison sentence that is one more reminder of what the world already knew: Russia is wrongfully detaining Brittney. It’s unacceptable, and I call on Russia to release her immediately so she can be with her wife, loved ones, friends, and teammates.”
“My administration will continue to work tirelessly and pursue every possible avenue to bring Birttney and Paul Whelan home safely as soon as possible,” he concluded.
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Cherelle expressed her thoughts to Gayle King on CBS Mornings about Griner’s imprisonment saying, “It feels to me as if she’s a hostage.”
She went on to say, “It terrifies me because, I mean, when you watch movies like sometimes those situations don’t end well. Sometimes they never get the person back.”
King then interjects, “This is not a movie though. Cherelle continues, “Exactly. This is my life and so I’m sitting here like, ‘Do we get her back? Do I ever get to see my wife again?’ Like what happens here?”
Cherelle then asserts, “The fact that everything’s so unprecedented and everything’s like changeable, I think is a really good word, like I feel every day I’m hearing something new and it just kind terrifying.”
Brittney Griner via 11Alive YouTube
Griner is appealing her sentence and a date for the hearing is set for October 25th.
What do you make of Cherelle’s comments about Griner’s arrest, sentencing, and imprisonment?