Source: Christian Petersen / Getty
Cherelle Griner, WNBA player Brittney Griner’s wife, appeared on The View to discuss Griner’s appeal being denied. Griner was sentenced to nine years in Russian prison for drug smuggling and possession. After her appeal was rejected, her sentenced was changed to eight years.
Griner, who just graduated from law school, understands that everyone must abide the law but feels her wife’s sentence is harsh.
“I understand being in the field of law that every state, every country has their own rules, but this is just absurd. The crime and the punishment is disproportionate at its finest […] There are people convicted of murder in Russia who [have] a sentence way less than [my wife], and it just makes absolutely no sense to me. That was the complete end of it. There’s nothing more to expect from a legal standpoint and all eggs are in basket, you know, for our government and for America to see how important this issue is,” she continued. “This could happen to anybody and we should be praying that we have a country that recognizes the importance of that and are willing to actually go get our Americans and bring them back home.”
In April, the two-time Olympic gold medalist was deemed a wrongfully detained prisoner by the U.S. State Department.
Cherelle Griner Said That Brittney Griner Still Wants WNBA Players To Go Overseas
Cherelle Griner added that her wife said she still wants her fellow WNBA players to play overseas but to be mindful of the law wherever you go.
“I’m grateful that my wife was willing to go overseas and make sure that I could go to law school and that we could have a home and things like that,” Griner said. “She still encourages players to go overseas to play in the off-season if needed, but to pay attention to the geo political nature of where you’re going, because B.G. left, and by the time she landed there was an e-mail from the WNBA that was saying if you’re going to Russia we recommend you not go and if you’re already there we recommend you come home, but it was too late.”
President Joe Biden released a statement stating that he is still working tirelessly to bring the former Phoenix Mercury player home.
“The President held the meetings to reiterate his continued commitment to working through all available avenues to bring Brittney and Paul home safely,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. “He asked after the wellbeing of Elizabeth and Cherelle and their respective families during this painful time.”
Griner met with Biden on Sept. 16 to discuss her wife’s case.
Watch her appearance on The View below.
