US Basketball Player Griner Appeals Against Her Sentence in Drug Smuggling Case

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - US basketball player Brittney Griner, sentenced to nine years in Russian prison for drug trafficking, has appealed against the court verdict, her lawyer Maria Blagovolina said.

"Brittney Griner’s defense team has filed an appeal against the verdict of the Khimki court," the lawyer said.

Earlier this month, Griner was sentenced to nine years in jail on charges of smuggling and possessing cannabis oil in Russia, as well as a fine of one million rubles ($16,576). The athlete was detained at Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow on February 17. As she walked through the green corridor after arriving from New York City, a service dog reacted to Griner's luggage. Customs officers searched the luggage and found two electronic vaporizers filled with green liquid, which was confirmed to be cannabis oil. Later, Griner said she was aware that possession of drugs is banned in Russia, but still had the cannabis oil with her.

Before the sentence to Griner was announced, Washington reportedly offered Moscow to exchange imprisoned Russian citizen Viktor Bout for US basketball player Brittney Griner and former US marine Paul Whelan, imprisoned in Russia. Moscow reportedly suggested a more fair deal that would also involve another Russian national, Vadim Krasikov, in order to have a two-for-two prisoner exchange.