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MOSCOW – An American basketball star has been in custody in Moscow on drug charges since February. Her detention will last a minimum of two more months, although her alleged offense carries a 10-year prison sentence if convicted, Russian state media said Thursday.
Brittney Griner, 31, has starred in the WNBA as well as USA basketball. She was arrested at a Moscow airport last month for having vape cartridges and hash oil in her luggage, according to Russian authorities.
State news agency TASS reported that a Moscow court determined Griner’s “period of detention” was being drawn out until at least May 19, according to the New York Post.
“The court granted the petition of the investigation and extended the term of detention of U.S. citizen Griner,” the court said.
Ekaterina Kalugina, a member of the Moscow-based Public Monitoring Commission group that observes the treatment of prisoners, claimed that US Consulate officials had not visited Griner in the pre-trial detention center. She also said that Griner is sharing a cell with two other woman with no previous convictions.
The exact date of her arrest and the full circumstances surrounding it haven’t been made clear, although Griner has not posted to Instagram since Feb. 5.
Griner, who plays for the Phoenix Mercury, does not believe the National Anthem should be played before WNBA games and will not be on the floor if it is, Arizona Central reported in 2020.
Griner made her comments two days after the Mercury’s opening game that year when players were absent from the floor during the pre-game tradition.
“I honestly feel we should not play the National Anthem during our season,” said Griner. “I think we should take that much of a stand.
“I’m going to protest regardless. I’m not going to be out there for the national anthem,” she said, according to outsports.com. “If the league continues to want to play it, that’s fine. It will be all season long, I’ll not be out there. I feel like more are going to probably do the same thing. I can only speak for myself.”
Griner claims her protest is not out of disrespect for the country.
“I don’t mean that in any disrespect to our country. My dad was in Vietnam and a law officer for 30 years. I wanted to be a cop before basketball. I do have pride for my country.”
Former NYPD Commissioner Bernard Kerik tweeted about Griner’s circumstances and her position on the National Anthem.
“Two years ago #Woke Brittney Griner said we should stop blaring our national anthem, ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ before games.”
Continuing, Kerik notes, “What’s ironic is that our government and @SenJohnHoeven will fight like hell to get her back to the US.”
Two years ago #Woke Brittney Griner said we should stop blaring our national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner” before games.
What’s ironic is that our government and @SenJohnHoeven will fight like hell to get her back to the US. https://t.co/qgspmNJ0bM
— Bernard B. Kerik (@BernardKerik) March 5, 2022
Griner has played during the WNBA off-season for the Russian team Ekaterinburg in the Euroleague since 2015, Law Officer reported.
The basketball All-Star led the Mercury to a 2014 WNBA Championship. She was also a key player on USA’s 2016 Olympic gold medal team. She played collegiately at Baylor University after dominating high school basketball in Houston.
At 6 feet 9 inches tall with an arm span of 87 inches, Griner is an imposing figure in women’s basketball. She also wears a men’s size 17 shoe.
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Source: www.lawofficer.com