The long-standing saga that is WNBA star Britney Griner‘s detainment in Russia is coming to a head this week as she is set to stand trial in Moscow. Griner was arrested on February 17 for possession of vape cartridges containing hashish oil. Griner’s pre-trial detainment has since been extended several times.
At the end of the week, Griner’s lawyers will present her case, however, experts warn that Griner’s case may already have a predetermined verdict. One expert, Johnathan Franks, said the Olympic gold medalist may not have a chance at a fair trial. “Court here should always be in quotes, and so should trial. Because this is not a court and it’s not going to conduct a trial. It’s going to conduct a PR and propaganda exercise for the [Russian] regime,” Franks said.
Russian courts currently have a 99% conviction rate and appeals are rare and hard to come by. “Even discussing how a trial works confers some legitimacy on what is likely to be a kangaroo process, even if she has exculpatory evidence, have no idea what evidence her side has. The judge simply writes the ruling as if that favorable testimony for the defendant never existed,” Franks said.
Many WNBA and NBA players have come out in support of their teammates and fellow competitor. Most recently the Boston Celtics wore “We Are BG” t-shirts in support of her prior to their NBA Finals matchup against the Golden State Warriors. Both the WNBPA and NBPA collaborated on the shirts, with NBPA Vice President Grant Williams saying, “The shirts were super important not only showing our support for our sister that is detained over in Russia, Brittney Griner. We just wanted to show the togetherness and love that we have throughout not only the NBA but the WNBA. She’s been a vital part of the WNBA over years past, college, and in the amount of impact she’s had on young female athletes, USA and overseas.”
Officials haven’t allowed the press in to observe Griner’s pre-trial hearings, and during the trial’s scheduling, the meeting did not include reporters. If Griner is found guilty, she could face up to 10 years in a Russian prison. Many believe that Griner’s release could only occur if the U.S. and Russia made “a political detainee exchange.”
