Cherelle Griner was joined by leaders including Rev. Al Sharpton in a show of solidarity in Chicago Friday afternoon, one day after Brittney Griner pleaded guilty to drug possession charges in Russia
“Brittney has admitted to making a mistake, and I hope the Russian authorities recognize that humbling act and respond with compassion,” Sharpton said in a release. “She is in the fight of her life right now, which is why we’ll be in Chicago to show our support for Brittney and for the Administration and their efforts to bring her home as soon as possible. We must all continue to pray she finds strength through this challenging time.
The guilty plea by the Phoenix Mercury star and two-time Olympic gold medalist came amid a growing chorus of calls for Washington to do more to secure her freedom nearly five months after her arrest amid rising tensions between the United States and Russia over Ukraine. According to a release, the White House said President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke to Cherelle Griner on the phone. During the call, Biden read a note to Cherelle Griner that he planned to send her wife in response to her plea.A senior Russian diplomat said earlier that no action could be taken by Moscow on Griner’s case until the trial was over, and her guilty plea could be an effort by her and her advisers to expedite the court proceedings.
Speaking through an interpreter, Griner told the court that she had no intention of committing a crime and had acted unintentionally because she had packed for Moscow in a hurry. The trial was then adjourned until July 14.
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