US Government Offers Deal To Russia In Exchange For Baylor Ex Brittney Griner
More than 150 days into her Russian detention, the United States Government has offered a deal with the Kremlin in exchange for Baylor Ex Brittney Griner, as well as fellow American detainee Paul Whelan, per U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
The news comes on the heels of Griner testifying at her trial on Wednesday, where, while she re-confirmed her guilty plea, she also reaffirmed that she did not act with criminal intent.
"I do understand charges against me," Griner said in court. "I do take responsibility for them being in my bag, but I didn’t plan on bringing anything to Russia."
Earlier this summer, Griner sent a letter to President Joe Biden, received at the White House on Monday’s July 4 holiday.
"Please do all you can to bring us home,” she wrote.
Griner's appeal for her freedom is expressed in a letter that includes excerpts released to the media. Included in her remarks: "I'm terrified I might be here forever."
"I realize you are dealing with so much, but please don't forget about me and the other detainees," she wrote. "Please do all you can to bring us home."
In the letter, Griner also mentions her father's military service and writes, "On the 4th of July, our family normally honors the service of those men who fought for our freedom, including my father who is a Vietnam War Veteran ... It hurts thinking about how I usually celebrate this day because freedom means something completely different to me this year.''
According to reports, Griner used medicinal cannabis to treat chronic pain. Griner's defense team also presented the court with a letter from her doctor as evidence of the prescription nearly two weeks ago.
However, while Griner's team indeed sites a medical prescription, her lawyers also stated that the purpose of the oil being in her luggage was not due to that prescription but because of a simple mistake on Griner's part.
"We are not arguing that Brittney took it here as a medicine. We are still saying that she involuntarily brought it here because she was in a rush," defense attorney Alexander Boykov said. "The Russian public has to know, and the Russian court in the first place has to know, that it was not used for recreational purposes in the United States. It was prescribed by a doctor."
She could spend up to 10 years in a Russian prison if convicted.
However, it appears that the U.S. government is now determined to bring her home before that can happen.
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Matt Galatzan the Editor-In-Chief of InsideTheBears.com, TheGroveReport.com, RamDigest.com, AllSeahawks.com, and TexansDaily.com. Galatzan graduated from the University of Mississippi, where he studied integrated marketing communications, with minors in journalism and business administration. Galatzan started in the sports journalism industry under Mike Fisher at DallasBasketball.com in 2014, which at the time was part of the 247Sports network. He also spent two years covering the SMU Mustangs for PonyStampede.com on the 247Sports network. When DallasBasketball.com and CowboysCountry.com moved over to Sports Illustrated's Fan Nation network in 2020, Galatzan followed suit, eventually being taking over as the Managing Editor and Publisher of LonghornsCountry.com and AllAggies.com a year later. Through the years, Galatzan has conducted a handful of high-profile one-on-one interviews to add to his resume — in both writing and podcasting. Some of his biggest interviews have been with Mavs owner Mark Cuban, former Longhorns players Dan Neil and Phil Dawson, and many other recruits, and current/former players for each of the teams he has covered. Galatzan is also a full-time employee in the digital media department for Audacy and KRLD FM's 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, which is the official radio home of the Dallas Cowboys. You can find Galatzan on all major social media channels. For any inquiries, please email matt.galatzan@gmail.com