A Russian courtroom has sentenced US basketball big name Brittney Griner to 9 years in reformatory on drug charges.
As Griner, 31, was being led out of the court docket in handcuffs, she become heard asserting: "i like my family unit."
The double Olympic winner has admitted possessing cannabis oil - but instructed courtroom she made "sincere mistake".
The court docket in Khimki, close Moscow, convicted her of smuggling and possessing narcotics. The prosecution had sought a nine-and-a-half reformatory term.
reading the decision on Thursday, the presiding choose stated she took into consideration the undeniable fact that the American had already spent a substantial time in detention.
Griner's defence lawyer Maria Blagovolina referred to her customer become "very upset, very stressed".
"she will be able to rarely talk. it be a tough time for her. once we noticed Brittney on Tuesday, we told her, 'See you on Thursday'. She spoke of, 'See you on doomsday'. So it appears like she was right."
The defence team said they'd attraction against the verdict.
Griner, who's considered one of the vital most effective avid gamers on the earth, become detained in February at an airport close Moscow when vape cartridges containing hashish oil have been present in her bags.
She had come to Russia to play membership basketball all the way through the united states low season.
soon after, Russia invaded Ukraine and her case has turn into field to excessive profile diplomacy between the us and Russia.
US President Joe Biden called the sentencing "unacceptable".
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said: "Russia, and any country engaging in wrongful detention, represents a chance to the security of every person travelling, working, and dwelling abroad."
it's unclear how long she will in fact spend at the back of bars, as the US and Russia had been discussing a possible prisoner swap that may involve the basketball participant.
reports in US media suggest imprisoned Russian palms trafficker Viktor Bout - customary because the merchant of demise - can be transferred by way of Washington to the Russian authorities as a part of the deal.
After the courtroom heard closing arguments, Griner stated: "I made a good mistake, and that i hope on your ruling it does not conclusion my existence."
"I didn't conspire or plan to commit this crime," she introduced.
Griner additionally talked about she had received neither an explanation of her rights nor access to a lawyer within the initial hours of her detention, and that she had to use a translation app on her mobilephone to speak.
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