Following her letter to Biden on July 4, Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner has submitted a plea after 130 days of imprisonment.
Brittney Griner pled guilty to drug-smuggling charges on Thursday, and now, experts warn that obtaining her freedom in a future prison swap might be a complicated procedure with deadly consequences.
Griner insisted during her court appearance that her “purpose” was not to break Russian law. She faces up to ten years in jail.
“I’d like to enter a guilty plea, your honor. However, there was no intention. I didn’t want to violate the law, “she added, adding that she would testify at a later time.
Although no conviction has been rendered in her case, discussions about a prisoner swap for Griner, whom the State Department claims were illegally held, have dominated conversations as her trial proceeds.
Hugh Dugan, an American professor and former diplomat who served as the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs during the Trump administration, told Fox News Digital that Griner’s guilty plea complicates her release by providing the Russian government with greater leverage.
“This moves her closer to be labeled as a sentenced convict with a fewer than 1% possibility of acquittal. I believe she would have had more leeway if she hadn’t gotten to this point and instead let the system drag it out and not designate her as such. But, in my opinion, this might make her a more important resource for Russia since they can now say, ‘We have a legal criminal under their law, and we must be faithful to our system,’ and so on, “Dugan said.
Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer known as the “Merchant of Death,” is one of the names mentioned as a possible suspect. He is now serving a 25-year term in the United States after being convicted of conspiring to kill US citizens and giving help to a terrorist organization.
Dugan indicated that based on the allegations in each case, this scenario would not be considered “proportionate.”
“When we compare something like this to a seasoned terrorist, the proportionality does not match. And it’s always a significant issue in negotiation that we don’t devalue our person to the point where the following day, that same nation would kidnap another one of our visitors and another American innocently wandering about for the sake of leveraging against some important foreign policy asset that we have of theirs.”
Tom Schwartz, a prominent professor of history at Vanderbilt University, agreed, calling a jail swap in a high-stakes case like this a “slippery slope.”
“This sort of prisoner swap is a slippery slope,” he said, “opening the door to additional kidnappings of Americans in other countries and attempts by other governments to get prisoner releases in this manner.”
Following Griner’s plea on Thursday, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov chastised the US administration for portraying the WNBA star’s case and the “hype” surrounding her detention.
“We have a long history of debating such matters. The American side’s attempts to create a stir in the public arena and make noise about this matter are very evident, and they don’t assist with the practical resolution of difficulties.”
According to Schwartz, Ryabkov’s remark shows that the Kremlin understands the importance of Griner’s release.
“He’s placing himself and making it plain that Russia now sees Brittney Griner as valuable.”
According to Russia’s Foreign Minister, Griner will have the chance to appeal or request for clemency after a judgment is issued, but the possibility, while not guaranteed, is bleak.
“The Russian justice system may relish handing her little less and gaining credit for demonstrating some mercy,” Schwartz added. “Judging Vladimir Putin has shown to be a very error-filled passion on the part of Western commentators who thought he wouldn’t invade Ukraine, though he wouldn’t do this, and he does this. So he could surprise us once again.”
A conclusion, in this case, is likely to be a lengthy and challenging process, according to Rebekah Koffler, a Russian-born former US intelligence officer and specialist on Russia and Vladimir Putin, who spoke to Fox News Digital.
“Putin’s administration has undoubtedly already communicated its demands to Washington via official or back channels. However, due to the two legal systems, these matters are often complicated to adjudicate.
Ryabkov’s remarks on Thursday only serve to reinforce the fight ahead.
“The persistence with which the United States Administration and members of relevant government entities in Washington refer to people who have been sentenced on severe charges by us and are awaiting proper judgments as “detained detainees” reflects Washington’s failure to comprehend the world adequately.”
During Tuesday’s routine briefing, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was bombarded with questions concerning Griner. However, she did not discuss Mr. Biden’s reaction to the letter. This is something he takes extremely seriously,” she added.
On July 1, Griner’s trial began, and her next court hearing is scheduled for July 14.
