“I admit my guilt”: Greiner was sentenced to nine years in prison for drug smuggling and possession

The trial of two-time Olympic basketball champion Brittney Greiner, who was detained in February at Sheremetyevo Airport with hash oil, has come to an end.

The athlete was found guilty of smuggling and possession of drugs.

The Khimki court sentenced her to nine years in a penal colony and a fine of 1 million rubles.

The state prosecutor asked the court to give the accused 9.5 years in prison, however, Greiner's confession of guilt and her athletic achievements were taken into account as extenuating circumstances.

The time she spent in the pre-trial detention center was also included in the term of punishment.

The hash oil confiscated from the American must be destroyed.

Skirmish of experts

It is interesting that even a couple of days before the verdict, the American lawyer Maria Blagovolina was confident in the positive outcome of the case.

According to her, the defense was able to identify errors in the procedure for measuring the content of the substance.

At the previous meeting of the Khimki court, on August 2, a stormy exchange of views took place between experts on this issue.

So, independent expert Dmitry Gladyshev doubted the quality of the conclusion in the case of the basketball player, since it was done by an environmentalist by education Alexander Korablev, who did not indicate all the components of the mixture.

“If it is a pure substance, he should say so.

If this is a solution or an expert, a mixture, he must indicate all the components of the mixture.

Those methods that are indicated in the conclusion are insufficient.

The question remained unanswered, the study was not completed, ”Gladyshev said.

Korablev, in turn, noted that he had been conducting examinations of narcotic drugs since 2020.

He was given two substances and two chromatograms.

In conclusion, only one is indicated, since they are identical.

According to the expert, he determined the mass of hash oil, but did not investigate tetrahydrocannabinol, since this task was not set before him.

However, the defense insisted on the need to accurately determine the substances that the American was accused of smuggling, and during the debate of the parties asked to acquit the athlete or impose a minimum sentence, since Greiner contributed to the development of sports in Russia and is one of the most titled basketball players in the world.

After the verdict was delivered, Blagovolina was disappointed with the length of the sentence and stated that the defense would definitely appeal.

In turn, lawyer Andrey Knyazev drew attention to the specifics of Russian legislation.

“I will say this, the term is normal.

If she was transporting a couple of kilograms of cocaine from the Dominican Republic, then there would be the same period.

The court did not go beyond the limits.

We do not take into account the fact that medical use is allowed in other countries.

From my point of view, this does not correspond to social danger, ”the specialist noted.

Waiting for an exchange

Greiner behaved calmly in the courtroom.

The detention at Sheremetyevo took place back in February, and she spent a lot of time in the Khimki court, and in the pre-trial detention center, two beds were even made especially for the two-meter athlete, so that it would be more comfortable for her to sleep.

Addressing the court in her acquittal, she once again pleaded guilty, explaining the error by distraction.

Earlier it became known that in the United States Brittney was prescribed marijuana as an anesthetic, she used it in the out-of-competition period and was not going to bring it to Russia.

“My parents taught me two very important lessons: accept responsibility and work hard.

Therefore, I plead guilty to the charges.

I understand them, but I never had the intention of violating Russian law.

I want the court to understand that this is a mistake that I made in a hurry.

I was stressed and wanted to get back to the team as soon as possible.

I know everyone is always talking about how I'm a political pawn.

But I want politics to stay outside.

I repeat once again: I did not want to break the laws and harm anyone, ”Greiner explained.

In addition, Brittney said that over the years of living in Russia, she found a new home here and a large number of friends.

“I would like to apologize to my fans for the mistake I made and for the shame.

I also want to apologize to my parents and sisters, as well as to my wife,” she said.

The only thing Greiner asked the court for was not to destroy her sports career with a verdict, but it seems that you can forget about entering the parquet for a 31-year-old American.

At least in the near future.

The basketball player remains hopeful that Russia and the United States will eventually agree on a prisoner exchange.

However, the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov noted the other day that no one plans to discuss this topic with journalists.

“Any information exchanges on this topic should be discrete, here megaphone diplomacy, a public exchange of positions will not lead to a result,” RIA Novosti quoted Peskov as saying.

In the United States, this scenario is treated differently.

Former US President Donald Trump was rather skeptical about a possible exchange.

“She went with drugs to hostile territory, where they are very vigilantly watching this.

They don't like drugs.

She got caught.

And now we have to get her out, even though she actually makes a lot of money, I guess.

She knew that drugs were not allowed there, and she confessed.

I think she did it without much pressure, because it really is.

The proposed deal certainly doesn't seem particularly lucrative.

He (Victor Bout. -

) is one of the worst people in the world, and he will gain freedom as a spoiled man goes to Russia with drugs, ”the politician said on the Clay and Buck podcast.

UFC commentator Joe Rogan, in turn, drew attention to the fact that thousands of people are in prison for a similar violation of the law in the United States.

And he doesn't understand why Greiner is better than the others.

“People go crazy about it, they say, ‘Russia should let her go.

We have people in America with sentences for marijuana, sitting behind bars for years, many, many years.

Not one, but thousands of people.

What's the matter?

Are they not that good at hitting the basket?

Is that what it's all about?

They're not good at what we like to watch, and that's why they shouldn't be released?"

Rogan was outraged.

However, Washington appears to be serious about the exchange.

Almost immediately after the verdict of the Khimki court, an appeal by US President Joe Biden was published on the White House website.

“Today, U.S. citizen Brittney Griner was sentenced to prison, which is another reminder of what the world already knew: Russia is wrongfully detaining Brittney.

This is unacceptable and I call on Russia to release her immediately so she can return to her wife, loved ones, friends and teammates.

My administration will continue to work tirelessly and will strive to use all possible means to return Brittney and Paul Whelan home safe and sound as soon as possible, ”the statement said.

It is the exchange, according to most experts, that Greiner's story will end.

So, the famous basketball commentator Vladimir Gomelsky is sure that the athlete will return to the United States within a year.

The lawyer Aleksey Tarasov, who represents the interests of Bout, also believes in such a development of events.

In his opinion, there are chances, but it is difficult to estimate when everything will happen.