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Brittney Griner at 'weakest moment' in Russia, her wife says

Brittney Griner at 'weakest moment' in Russia, her wife says
Good afternoon. So today's sentencing is *** reminder of what the world already knew. Russia is wrongfully detaining Brittany. She never should have had to endure *** trial in the first place. We have repeatedly called for Russia to release her immediately so she can be with her wife, loved ones friends and teammates. Under President Biden's direction, the U. S. Government continues to work aggressively pursuing every avenue to bring home Brittany, paul Whelan and every american held hostage and wrongfully detained around the world. As you all know, we have made *** substantial offer to bring her and paul Whelan home. We urge Russia to accept that proposal. I'm not able to share more publicly at this time, but we are willing to take every step necessary to bring home our people as we demonstrated with Trevor reed and that's what we're going to do here. I can assure you this is something the president and our national security team are focused on every single day. The President receives regular updates about the status of our negotiations to secure Brittany's release, as well as the release of paul Whelan and other U. S. Nationals who are wrongfully detained or held hostage in Russia and around the world.
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Updated: 11:40 AM CDT Oct 6, 2022
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Brittney Griner at 'weakest moment' in Russia, her wife says
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Updated: 11:40 AM CDT Oct 6, 2022
Editorial Standards 鈸�
WNBA star Brittney Griner is at her 鈥渁bsolute weakest moment in life right now鈥� as she faces a hearing in Russia later this month for her appeal of a nine-year prison sentence for drug possession, Griner's wife said in an interview aired Thursday.Cherelle Griner told 鈥淐BS Mornings鈥� that her wife, a two-time Olympic gold medalist who was playing in Russia during the WNBA offseason, is afraid of being forgotten by the United States.鈥淪he鈥檚 very afraid about being left and forgotten in Russia, or just completely used to the point of her detriment,鈥� Cherelle Griner said.She said Brittney Griner told her in a phone call that she felt 鈥渓ike my life just doesn鈥檛 matter.鈥濃淟ike, y鈥檃ll don鈥檛 see the need to get me back home? Am I just nothing?鈥� Cherelle Griner quoted her wife as saying. It wasn't clear when the call took place.Brittney Griner was convicted Aug. 4 after Russian police said they found vape canisters with cannabis oil in her luggage at Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow. Her defense lawyers said she had been prescribed cannabis for pain. The WNBA star said she had inadvertently packed them and had no criminal intent.She is appealing her prison sentence; the hearing is scheduled for Oct. 25. But Cherelle Griner said after that hearing, her wife could potentially be moved to a labor camp elsewhere in Russia.鈥淢y brain can鈥檛 even fathom it,鈥� she said in the CBS interview.President Joe Biden met with Cherelle Griner at the White House last month. He also sat down with Elizabeth Whelan, the sister of Paul Whelan, another American currently imprisoned in Russia. The Biden administration said in July that it had made a 鈥渟ubstantial proposal鈥� to get them home. The administration has not provided specifics about its proposal, but a person familiar with the matter previously confirmed it had offered to release Viktor Bout, a convicted Russian arms dealer imprisoned in the U.S.Cherelle Griner said the president is 鈥渄oing what he can, but there鈥檚 another party in this situation.鈥� She said it鈥檚 going to take Russian President Vladimir Putin changing his mindset.Though Brittney Griner was arrested in February 鈥� amid escalated tensions because of Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine 鈥�- the couple did not speak on the phone until August. Cherelle Griner said the first conversation was 鈥渏ust so delightful鈥� and felt optimistic that her wife would survive the ordeal. But the second conversation, she said, 鈥渨as the most disturbing phone call I鈥檝e ever experienced.鈥濃淵ou could hear that she was not OK,鈥� Cherelle Griner said.

WNBA star is at her 鈥渁bsolute weakest moment in life right now鈥� as she faces a hearing in Russia later this month for her appeal of a nine-year prison sentence for drug possession, Griner's wife said in an interview aired Thursday.

Cherelle Griner told 鈥淐BS Mornings鈥� that her wife, a two-time Olympic gold medalist who was playing in Russia during the WNBA offseason, is afraid of being forgotten by the United States.

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鈥淪he鈥檚 very afraid about being left and forgotten in Russia, or just completely used to the point of her detriment,鈥� Cherelle Griner said.

She said Brittney Griner told her in a phone call that she felt 鈥渓ike my life just doesn鈥檛 matter.鈥�

鈥淟ike, y鈥檃ll don鈥檛 see the need to get me back home? Am I just nothing?鈥� Cherelle Griner quoted her wife as saying. It wasn't clear when the call took place.

after Russian police said they found vape canisters with cannabis oil in her luggage at Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow. Her defense lawyers said she had been prescribed cannabis for pain. The WNBA star said she had inadvertently packed them and had no criminal intent.

She is appealing her prison sentence; But Cherelle Griner said after that hearing, her wife could potentially be moved to a labor camp elsewhere in Russia.

鈥淢y brain can鈥檛 even fathom it,鈥� she said in the CBS interview.

President Joe Biden met with Cherelle Griner at the White House last month. He also sat down with Elizabeth Whelan, the sister of another American currently imprisoned in Russia. The Biden administration said in July that it had made a 鈥渟ubstantial proposal鈥� to get them home. The administration has not provided specifics about its proposal, but a person familiar with the matter previously confirmed it had offered to release

Cherelle Griner said the president is 鈥渄oing what he can, but there鈥檚 another party in this situation.鈥� She said it鈥檚 going to take Russian President Vladimir Putin changing his mindset.

Though Brittney Griner was arrested in February 鈥� amid escalated tensions because of Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine 鈥�- the couple did not speak on the phone until August. Cherelle Griner said the first conversation was 鈥渏ust so delightful鈥� and felt optimistic that her wife would survive the ordeal. But the second conversation, she said, 鈥渨as the most disturbing phone call I鈥檝e ever experienced.鈥�

鈥淵ou could hear that she was not OK,鈥� Cherelle Griner said.