Brittney Griner Pleads Guilty To Drug Charges In Russia

The WNBA star told the judge that she had “inadvertently” had the drug and asked for mercy. Despite pleading guilty, her trial is not expected to end.

“I’d like to plead guilty, your honor. But there was no intent. I didn’t want to break the law,” Griner told the judge, according to Reuters. “I’d like to give my testimony later. I need time to prepare.”

Although Griner pleaded guilty Thursday, sources say it was a strategy to facilitate a prisoner swap.

Griner has been detained in Russia since February after authorities allegedly found vape cartridges containing hash oil in her luggage. As Blavity previously reported, the United States later said that Griner was “wrongfully detained.”

The athlete sent a letter to President Joe Biden this week asking him not to “forget” her and added that she was “terrified” she may be in Russia forever. In response, Biden wrote a letter to Griner, which he read during a phone call with her wife, Cherelle Griner.

Biden reassured Cherelle that he was working on bringing Brittney back home as soon as possible.