Brittney Griner’s Pre-Trial Detention Extended Through July
According to multiple reports, Brittney Griner’s pre-trial detention in Russia has been extended again to July 2.
Griner was detained in February for allegedly possessing vape cartridges that contained hashish oil. As of Tuesday, the All-Star center has been detained for 117 days. On May 3, the U.S. state department classified Griner as being “wrongfully detained,” and just this past Monday, the Phoenix Mercury met with State Department officials about Griner’s case.
“There is a lot involved in getting her back home and safe; they’re working relentlessly,” Diana Taurasi said, per ESPN. “We’re here to do whatever we can to amplify and keep BG at the forefront, which is more important than any basketball game and anything else that’s going on in our lives. We want BG to come home as soon as possible; it’s number one on our list.”
According to a court representative of the Moscow region and per TASS, a Russian media outlet, her extension was extended another 18 days at “the request of the investigation.”
Griner could face a 10-year sentence in prison, per The New York Times.
The WNBA has honored Griner with a floor decal with her initials and jersey number displayed on all 12 franchise courts. The city of Houston held a parade calling for her release, and athletes across the WNBA and NBA, including both LeBron James and Hall-of-Famer Penny Taylor, expressed their public support for Griner’s release from Russian detention. James posted a message on Instagram while Taylor used her induction speech to call for Griner’s release.
Visit http://WeAreBG.org to learn more about what you can do to help.
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