Brittney Griner pleads guilty in Russian drug case, but that might actually help get her home
- Brittney Griner pleaded guilty to the drug smuggling charges she's facing in Russia.
- Her Russian legal team said Griner took "full responsibility for her actions" with the plea.
Brittney Griner pleaded guilty to drug smuggling charges during a Russian court appearance Thursday, according to Reuters.
But, in a bit of a twist, that move may just help her come home sooner.
The WNBA superstar faces up to 10 years in a Russian prison. But according to legal expert Aron Solomon, who serves as Esquire Digital's chief legal analyst, Griner's guilty plea "is simply a faster path to the finish line."
"She is following the best legal and political advice she can get in her situation," Solomon continued. "Practically, it makes no difference what he plea is, as she's going to be found guilty."
Between Russia's suspect handling of Griner's case to this point and the country's notoriously harsh 99% conviction rate, sources have told Insider that Griner's court proceedings were nothing more than a "show trial" with a "predetermined" outcome: a guilty verdict for the seven-time WNBA All-Star.
But, as Solomon noted, there may be "some strategic benefit in regards to the Russian government in her plea."
"Only time will tell," he added.
ESPN's TJ Quinn reports that sources recognized Griner would "have to admit guilt before Russia agrees to a deal to send her home."
"Pleading now, it was thought, would get that out of the way and possibly help move negotiations forward," Quinn wrote on Twitter.
Griner's legal team in Russia confirmed that the plea "was her decision informed by discussion with her legal defense team in Russia."
"She decided to take full responsibility for her actions as she knows that she is a role model for many people," the team's statement continued. "Considering the nature of her case, the insignificant amount of the substance, and BG's personality and history of positive contributions to global and Russian sport, the defense hopes that the plea will be considered by the court as a mitigating factor and there will be no severe sentence."
The Phoenix Mercury center has been in jail for nearly 140 days on drug-smuggling charges after Russian authorities said they found vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport.
From the early days following Griner's arrest, the Biden administration quietly worked to negotiate her release and safe return to the US. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert told Insider the muted response contributed to the league's internal strategy to "say less and push more privately."
But early in May, the US changed its posture by officially designating Griner as "wrongfully detained" — a move that sends a "strong signal that the US government does not believe that there is a legitimate case against her," one expert who has navigated several hostage situations previously told Insider.
The "wrongfully detained" designation also enabled the All-Star's friends, family, teammates, and supporters to openly campaign for her return to the States. Griner's wife, Cherelle, has made several TV and media appearances in recent weeks in an effort to draw attention to the case.
In a recent interview with the Rev. Al Sharpton, Cherelle described letters she had received from Griner in prison that suggested she was "struggling" and "terrified." Shortly thereafter, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke on the phone with Cherelle to assure her that they're "working to secure Brittney's release as soon as possible."
Griner's camp has increased pressure on the administration, which is understood to be best suited to secure Griner's freedom, to act — and to act quickly.
"We ask President Biden to do what is necessary to get a deal done to bring Brittney home as quickly as possible," Griner's agent, Lindsay Kagawa Colas, told Insider Thursday. "Getting BG home will be seen and celebrated as a win for America."