Now Griner has returned to the detention center, where she was being held during a weeks-long trial as her lawyers vowed to appeal the sentence while the Biden administration tries to negotiate her release.
Her lawyers had hoped that Greener’s plea and statement of contrition would lead to a lighter sentence. She faces 10 years of charges, with prosecutors asking for her 9.5 years in prison. In addition to the nine-year sentence, Griner must pay a fine of 1 million rubles, or about $16,400.
“I made an honest mistake and I hope your ruling doesn’t end my life here,” Griner said in court before sentencing. “I know everyone is talking about political pawns and politics, but I want that to stay out of this courtroom.”
This is what will happen next for Greener as she awaits an appeal from her lawyers while the U.S. continues to negotiate her release.
Lawyers to appeal ‘unreasonable’ verdict
According to her attorney Alexander Boykov and Maria Blagovolina, a partner at the law firm Rybalkin, Gortsunyan, Dyakin and Partners, Griner’s legal team will appeal the court’s decision, which they must do within 10 days of the verdict.
“We are very disappointed with the verdict. As legal professionals, we believe the court should be fair to everyone, regardless of nationality. The court completely disregarded all evidence for the defence and, most importantly, a guilty plea,” they said in a statement .
They called the verdict “absolutely unreasonable” and insisted in a statement that it “contradicts existing legal practice in Russia.”
Blago Wallina told reporters that the average jail time for such crimes is five years, adding that nearly one-third of those convicted are released on parole.
During the trial, lawyers argued that Greener’s detention was mishandled. Griner testified that she was forced to sign documents she did not fully understand and that she was not given adequate Russian translations of documents.
A defense expert also testified that inspections of vape cartridges containing cannabis oil did not comply with Russian law.
US proposes prisoner swap in exchange for Greener’s return
After Greener was sentenced, National Security Council coordinator John Kirby said it was up to the Russian side whether the sentence would open the door to negotiations on a prisoner swap.
Kirby reiterated Thursday that the U.S. position remains that it wants Russia to “put this deal on the table because it’s a good, fair one that will help bring Paul (Whelan) and Britney to the table. go home.”
Family and supporters continue to fight for her return
The exchange offer came after months of pressure from Greener’s family and members of the basketball community.
Griner also has solid support from her WNBA team, the Phoenix Mercury, as well as other members of the basketball community.
Before Thursday night’s game between the Mercury and the Connecticut Suns, members of both teams held hands in the center of the court and observed a 42-second silence for Greener, who was wearing No. 42. When it was over, the crowd started chanting: “Take her home! Take her home!”
CNN’s Allie Malloy, Chris Liakos, Natasha Bertrand, Frederik Pleitgen, Eric Levenson, Dakin Andone, Travis Caldwell, Jill Martin, Betsy Klein, Kate Sullivan and MJ Lee contributed to this report.
