August 4, 2022, 9:42 am ETBrittney Griner was found guilty of drug charges by a Russian court on Thursday. Credit…Pool photo by Kirill Kudryavtsev Brittney Griner gave a glimpse of her personal history while testifying in a Russian court Thursday in a case in which she faces a possible sentence of up to 10 years in prison. Her legal team has appealed for leniency in the case, arguing that she has contributed to Russian society and did not intend to break the law. “I grew up in a normal house, a normal household in Houston, Texas, with my siblings, my mom and my dad,” Ms Griner, 31, told the court. “My parents taught me two important things: One, to take responsibility and two, to work hard for everything you get. That’s why I pleaded guilty to my charges.” “I understand everything that has been said against me in the charges against me, but I had no intention of violating Russian law,” added Ms Griner, who was detained in mid-February at a Moscow airport on her way to Yekaterinburg. a Russian city near the Ural Mountains, where she played for a local team during the WNBA offseason. Customs officers found two vapor cartridges containing less than a gram of hashish oil in her luggage. “I want the court to understand that it was an honest mistake that I made while I was in a hurry and stressed trying to recover from Covid and just trying to get back to my team,” he told the court on Thursday. Ms. Griner also spoke about her time playing for UMMC Yekaterinburg. “That hard work that my parents instilled in me is what led me to play for the best Russian team,” he said. “I had no idea that the team, the city, the fans and my teammates would make such an impression on me during the six and a half years I spent in Yekaterinburg. It became my second home with my friends, teammates and fans that I always interacted with.” The basketball star apologized to her teammates on the Russian team and the city of Yekaterinburg, her family and her WNBA teammates, including her Arizona team, the Phoenix Mercury. Addressing the judge in the case, Anna S. Sotnikova, Ms. Griner said: “I made an honest mistake and I hope with your decision that my life will not end here.” He also mentioned the possibility of a prisoner exchange that would allow her to return to the United States, an issue that has been the subject of talks between Moscow and Washington, with pressure on President Biden to help secure her release. “I know everyone keeps talking about political pawns and politics, but I hope that’s far away from this room,” Ms. Griner said. See more
