Brittney Griner appeals drug conviction in Russia after nine-year sentence

Lawyers for Brittney Griner have filed an appeal of her conviction on drug charges as the WNBA star sits in a Russian prison waiting for the U.S. to negotiate a trade for her freedom.

A lawyer for the 31-year-old athlete, Maria Blagovolina, told Russian media Monday that the appeal has been filed, but did not reveal any more information.

Griner was detained at a Moscow-area airport in February after vape cartridges containing cannabis oil were found in her luggage. She pleaded guilty to drug charges, claiming she had accidentally packed the drugs, and was sentenced this month to nine years in prison.

Brittney Griner (EVGENIA NOVOZHENINA/)

During the trial, the two-time Olympic gold medalist’s lawyers said Griner was prescribed the cannabis for pain treatment.

The U.S. State Department, which has declared Griner “wrongfully detained,” is reportedly working on a swap for her freedom, along with that of former Marine Paul Whelan. The U.S. would release Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer nicknamed the Merchant of Death who is serving a 25-year sentence in America.

Whelan, 52, was sentenced to 16 years in a Russian prison in 2020 after being convicted of espionage.

With News Wire Services