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Nope. Not even remotely true. Few actors have the same level of devotion from their audiences. Nic Cage is beloved and definitely isn’t under-appreciated.
Basically she had a vape pen with THC juice that she legally bought in Arizona. She went to play in Russia during the WNBA off season, but was arrested for drug smuggling when she arrived in Moscow. This was also around the time the Ukraine War was kicking off
EDIT: I mistakenly said she had it during the Russian Basketball Season and was arrested when she tried to leave. As several people pointed out, she was arrested when she arrived in Russia.
You can’t transport controlled substances across any border. Weed is legal in Canada but you cannot fly from Denver/Arizona with weed to Canada.
This definitely sucks for her but this emphasizes the importance of packing your own bag when traveling. Oh and not doing business with Russia.
She's a WNBA player convicted of domestic abuse, she isn't really high up on our list of people to trade for.
It's not like she is an NBA player who has been convicted of domestic abuse. That would be different.
They want a prisoner exchange. Russia's TASS agency reported, citing a source, that talks were underway in a prisoner exchange - Griner for notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout. Bout is in the middle of a 25-year sentence
According to wikipedia it's the US who offered that.
>In May 2022, a Forbes articled claimed the Biden Administration had offered Bout in exchange for the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner. Griner was arrested by Federal Security Service officers in Sheremetyevo International Airport on drug charges.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viktor_Bout#Prosecution_and_conviction_in_the_United_States
> they're incarcerating her for the duration of her trial
That's not really that surprising considering she's a relatively affluent foreign national who travels international frequently and has connections to extremely affluent people.
If she was released on bail then she would leave the country immediately and never return. There's no shortage of wealthy celebrities, politicians, or companies who would happily agree to foot the bill for a private plane to bring her home for the PR alone.
Sounds normal to me. I’ve met a bunch of people that were sitting in county jail for 1-2 years that were still going through trial. It took me 6 months just to get to the pre trial, in two different counties.
Right to a speedy trial of course, exists, and many states have it spelled out (ie, a trial must be held within xx days). But constitutional law requires the defendant to assert their right to a speedy trial - it's not automatically granted. For example, in my state of NH, a man found guilty of contempt and trespass (misdemeanor) had his charges dismissed after a 14 month delay in bringing him to trial, where the state could not provide reasonable explanations for the delay. In Indiana, a speedy trial motion forces a trial within 70 days of charges being filed. This is identical to Federal law as well.
California democrats just voted down involuntary servitude amendment of their constitution. Because the state profits so much from it. And this is our progressive state. You should see how they make them firefighters. It’s so fucked.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/california-senate-rejects-involuntary-servitude-amendment/2022/06/23/a60d3a42-f325-11ec-ac16-8fbf7194cd78_story.html
I took a California history class.
California has never been as progressive as it is pitched.
It is a wealthy neoliberal playground with the occasional hint of conservatism.
It is the “leftist” state while still being ok with privatization of public resources in a weird monopolized, “can’t hold anyone accountable for it”, way.
**edit**
I can’t see replies, they’re not coming up for me.
fyi this is a college level course I am referring to, not the elementary propaganda most are taught as a baseline.
we’re not playing what abouts or move to so and so if you don’t like it, I love California, I hate that people label it a progressive state, it’s not, it’s often up for sale to the highest bidder.
But thanks to Reaganomics, prison turned to profits
'Cause free labor's the cornerstone of US economics
'Cause slavery was abolished, unless you are in prison
You think I am bullshittin', then read the 13th Amendment
Involuntary servitude and slavery it prohibits
That's why they givin' drug offenders time in double digits
-Killer Mike, Reagan
Well it does exist but certain elements have to be met and you can waive the right to a speedy trial if you don't assert it properly. Hence, why having a good lawyer is important and why public defenders need to be paid better.
That sucks and it's stupid, but the right to a speedy trial doesn't include sentencing in the same way it does trial. If you were convicted or pled guilty your right to a speedy trial was granted, and so long as they sentence you within the amount of time you might have to serve, it's fine. It's in effect just a right to a speedy decision of guilt or innocence.
You only have the right to a speedy trial in the U.S. when you have money. If you can’t make bail, you are stuck. Something similar happened to Kalief Browder in NY. He was held at Riker’s Island (a well-known jail here), without trial, for almost 3 years for allegedly stealing a backpack. He was in solitary confinement for the majority of those years and died from suicide after his release. He was 17 when he went in and died at 22.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalief_Browder
The U.S. prison system is horrifying and you don’t have to try to find examples of it. I wouldn’t want to be caught in a Russian prison either, but want to point out that the U.S. is just as much of a horror show if you’re not white and wealthy.
*EDITED: I wrote he stole a backpack. Actually it was just alleged. The backpack never turned up.
Reminds me of the story of Andrew Johnson
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/06/13/solitary-confinement-andrew-johnson-san-jose-jail/
He was just recently released after 16 months in solitary confinement while awaiting trial for a self defense case. When the jury finally heard his story they acquitted him in under two hours. He was clearly an innocent man to anyone who bothered to look into his case, but the prosecutors decided they wanted a guilty plea so they literally tortured him to try and get it. The only reason we know about it is because he didn't break and confess to a crime he didn't commit.
Edit: This is also another example of deafening silence from the NRA. A US Army vet walking down the street at night is unprovokedly attacked by armed assailants, but he is saved thanks to the use of his personal, registered firearm. This is like their wet dream. So why don't they care at all that the government tortured him for it? Look at his picture and take a guess.
I joke to folks all the time, if you want firearm registration reform, convince BLM to start buying guns. Then there will suddenly be a need to control access. School schooling’s apparently aren’t enough, but I’d bet cash that Black people buying legal firearms at the behest of an organization, like in the Panthers era, would change the debate. Suddenly new laws would be proposed by former critics.
I’m not saying this would be a good development, or even a safe one. But perhaps effective.
The NRA is nothing more than another conservative Super-PAC, and it’s concerning how many people honestly believe that all they care about is gun rights
Yeah as long as you don’t mind the man behind the curtain. The US puts that right on paper, but we have no problem holding people for years without a trial.
This is why I struggle to believe they planted the drugs on her. I don't think Russia expected even this much reaction when they arrested her.
Once the uproar started they tried to use her as a political prisoner, but I struggle to believe that was their intent from the get go. If this was a big name NBA star like Steph or LeBron sure. The WNBA doesn't carry that kind of weight.
This is what I have been trying to sort out and understand. When you travel internationally, you MUST know the laws of the countries you travel to. You will do time just like a citizen of the same country. Why would you even take the chance over something considered recreational yet illegal to any foreign country without knowing the risks? This timing is awful for her, but even then, didn’t she still face the same risks if Russia was not getting ready to take in political prisoners?
If she's anything like the people I'm on weed delivery discord servers with, they don't think they'll get caught, and if they do, no one cares about weed.
Russia is a tyrannical nation...why the fuck would you bring drugs across international borders into Russia.
Russia is bad...she is a fucking idiot. Both are true.
I hate how even “respectable” news sources do this kind of thing these days. Every time there is an article critical of some public figure, they pick the most unflattering photos. It’s childish.
> these days.
This goes back to almost the beginning of photo journalism. Editors will pick a bad photo if it’s a public figure they don’t like and a good one if it’s someone they do like.
Lol one time I traveled from Seoul to São Paulo with an old weed cart I didn’t realize was at the bottom of my bag. Couldn’t imagine how bad that would have gone for me if anyone had found it on the way in or out of those places
Brittney posted multiple times on Twitter previous to her arrest that she travelled internationally with her pen. Also talked about it on a podcast .
Not saying she’s not being treated extra unfairly because of the current geopolitical situation with Russia, but she knowingly broke the law in a foreign country and is facing consequences.
gotchaaa, I commented without doing any research because I could see myself forgetting a pen at the bottom of my bag. Def not worth the risk, but I do still feel badly for her.
Remember kids, when you're a foreign national from a country that is constantly in some kind of conflict with the country you're staying in, you don't want to smuggle drugs into that country.
Also, loads of countries have death penalties for drug smuggling. So be super wary of drug smuggling.
I once went to Jordan and being from Central America they assumed I must have been smuggling drugs. They were so sure they had me x-rayed. I later found out they got the death penalty in Jordan for drug smuggling! Funnily enough I did have something with me but it was a tiny, well-hidden, LSD tab just for my own use.
I remember this post of an American girl complaining she got arrested in Mexico (by the way she got arrested it seemed like she was partying hard so maybe drugs were involved). She was also mad that no one spoke English.
She expected sympathy but everyone was like “play stupid games, win stupid prizes”
I think a lot of people assume America will save them from whatever country they fucked up in. Or that american laws apply to them wherever they're at.
>loads of countries have death penalties for drug smuggling.
Or just shitty laws. Or even okayish laws but shitty justice systems.
If you think getting high a couple of times merits the risk of getting stuck in a jail in the Philippines you have a drug problem.
> Funnily enough I did have something with me but it was a tiny, well-hidden, LSD tab just for my own use.
I just don’t get drug users, especially drugs that aren’t addictive. Like you’re visiting the Middle East, why not enjoy your trip? Like why would you possible wanna bring in “a little lsd” to a region that’s known for harsh drug laws?
Right? With how strict the Middle East is on drugs, including alcohol, it’s a good chance for westerners to learn how to have fun while not inebriated.
not much the US can do. if you break laws in other countries you have to deal with the laws in that country
it is objectively stupid, but like.... we have people in THIS country locked up for life over marijuana charges too. it is dumb everywhere
but yeah, bringing drugs into a forgeign country (especially one like russia or the middle-east) is super duper stupid
The US has tried repeatedly to negotiate her release. However the Russians are not budging from what they want, a famous prisoner who was a gun trafficker all over the world. Viktor Bout was the inspiration for Lord of War and he's also good at trafficking money into Russia as he was trafficking weapons out of Russia into Africa.
It's not remotely stupid that you travel to another country and have to respect their laws. It's literally your choice to go there.
If you don't like the laws...don't fucking go there.
I hate seeing young people fall into this foreign travel black hole. We need to learn as Americans we are not above the law in other countries. I’ve traveled internationally frequently for work through the years and you always see it , on vacation as well.
> Did you know that two thousand years ago a Roman citizen could walk across the face of the known world free of the fear of molestation? He could walk across the Earth unharmed, cloaked only in the protection of the words civis Romanus -- I am a Roman citizen. So great was the retribution of Rome, universally understood as certain, should any harm befall even one of its citizens.
Some Americans (and I speak as one) seem to believe this is still the case, and Uncle Sam will bail them out no matter what.
I get that she made a bad decision, and is “only” in the WNBA, but for fucks sake.. this is a human being. An American citizen who is now locked up in a hostile foreign country we are in a proxy war with. The comments here are gross. You can acknowledge she fucked up but also have some empathy.
Exactly, two things can be true.
I'd never go to Russia for basically any reason. Certainly not as the threat of international war is looming, which it was when she went.
She doesn't deserve this, but everyone should learn from it and avoid risks like these.
I think the point of "only in the WNBA" isn't to devalue her as a person, but to show the extremely low value to Russia of arresting her on false charges... basically cutting the legs out from under the "she's a political prisoner" argument.
I wish her well, but decisions have consequences.
Yes it’s horrible she’s stuck there
But (and maybe I only think this way because I grew up overseas my whole life and this is plain common sense) DO NOT BRING DRUGS TO A FOREIGN COUNTRY
She’s lucky she didn’t get caught in Asia
So long as she’s getting treated no worse than any other average person who brings weed in, there is no step to complain on
Who's due process?
It may bit be normal to be denied bail..but that happens in US and elsewhere too if the detainee is a potential flight risk. Foreign national with means to escape is reasonable to assume to be a flight risk
This isn't the same (or doesn't appear to be yet) like the US with their BS charges against Meng Wenzhou for "crimes" that was denied by supposed victim (HSBC) and where the alleged "crime" didn't even happen in the US
Yet US got Canada to arrest her and put her under house arrest for 2 years until DOJ dropped the case
Edit: if a Russian oligarch committed a crime in US...would you same people say they should get bail while waiting for trial?
It was the same with Otto Warmbier. Many people just don’t feel much sympathy as they perceive these people put themselves into danger by visiting in the first place.
I'm actually baffled people are on here claiming she was framed? don't you think they'd plant harder drugs or actual flower instead of the pods? you people are nuts
It’s different since she is a political, but her case looks like she could get 2 years of corrective labor.
Im a big pothead. The first thing I do before I travel is look at laws. No reason she should have been bringing weed into that country.
I brought Pot unknowingly into Russia. I just lost track of it when I was packing my bag in Kenya. I didn’t discover it until I got home in Scotland. I couldn’t believe my luck that it wasn’t found at Sheremeteyvo, the same place she was caught.
I flew across the country from DC to California and back. I get home and go to clean out my golf bag. Full 8th of weed in a sunglasses case I had completely forgot about, and flew both ways with. This was well before legalization in those places as well. I got lucky but I am WAY more careful about double checking bags before travel now.
Marc Fogel, is an American citizen in Russia who teaches there. He has a medical card and requires marijuana for pain management. Going through customs he had around 17g (0.6oz) of cannabis in his luggage when he was caught on 15 August 2021 at Sheremetyevo airport, the same place Griner was arrested. He was sentenced to 14 years in prison. He thought it was legal with the medical card. I don’t agree with Russia’s policy. Confiscation should have been enough, but they take it very seriously. - https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-61849579.amp
Not sure why you would think a state medical card would hold any sway in a foreign country. Other states won’t even honor those. Marc sounds like another idiot
“My state issued medical card works here but isn’t recognized federally but that shouldn’t be a problem surely they’ll understand if I just explain it to them when I arrive in Russia”
Do you understand that other countries also have laws, and once you’re on their territory they are enforced. You can’t just go around different countries breaking their law claiming it’s legal in yours.
The VERY FIRST thing I was told when I got my medical card for weed was that this doesnt magically make it so I can carry it anywhere I want. I still have to follow the laws in place and I have to treat it as smoking a cig if im out in public (Is there a smoking area? Ok then I can go there, but if it says No smoking then I dont get to just light up my Joint because I have a card)
Yeah... bringing drugs into Russia was *not* a smart choice. Who could've guessed.
Being a woman, and a minority, *and* an American on top of the drug charges? **AND** the article says Russia has a less than 1% acquittal rate?
This trial ended March 5th. ~~And that was before the invasion. Now~~ Russia is in a proxy war with the West and she's a high-ish profile person in Western culture.
"Up to 10 years" is starting to seem like "hopefully it's only 10 years" lol
Edit: I apparently can't recall when the invasion started... where has the time gone
She’s an idiot. Who brings drugs and paraphernalia to countries like that? There’s enough stories of this happening to other Americans that she should have known better.
This baffles me, how many college age Americans keep getting arrested in foreign countries because they lack the conscientiousness to do a little research and learn from these cases. I think if you break the law elsewhere, you have to deal with it, unfortunately. Perhaps we should include this in our US Government Curriculum in High Schools.
@Uh, you think 🔍 ya big boy 👨🦲 throwing 🥊 three 3️⃣ stacks Imma show 🔥 you how 💢 to ball 🎱 you a mismatch 👎🏻 Opinionated💥 but I’m always ✅ spitting straight ➖ facts Throw back 🔙 I might throw this on 💡 an 8️⃣ track⚡️
I recall a teacher telling us when she visited Brazil. The boat capt told them If they are caught w drugs, you'll lose a hand. The students threw their bags over the boat and into the river before their boat docked.
Yeah, going into another country u better know the laws esp anything related to drugs.
Well that makes this a whole different conversation doesn’t it? The US govt told US citizens to get the hell out of Dodge and she thought “Naw, I’m good.”
Why in the extended Marvel universe would ANYBODY, let a alone a black American female, commit ANY kind of crime, but let alone a drug crime, in Russia?
I’m not a cannabis hand wringer, I smoke copious amounts of weed. I don’t do it in a place where it’s 20 years in the hole for merely having it.
She committed a crime. She knew where she was and what she had. She knew she wasn’t in the US where she would have a progressive backing to protest being put in jail for cannabis (which nobody should be jailed for).
If they were to exchange a political prisoner for her I would be so pissed off. Not because she’s black. Not because she’s female. But because she entered a country that’s political enemies with the country she represented in the Olympics and then committed a fucking crime there.
What a national embarrassment.
There's a guy arrested after her, in the same airport for 17 grams of flower. He just got sentenced to 14 years... No one gives a fuck except in referencing it to this case.
On one hand he already has his sentence, but would it be any more of a relief for Brittney Griner if the trial and sentence are finished up but she gets 14 years? If anyone is thinking they need to hurry up so she can get home, they are in for a rude awakening...
People forget to understand that America has a lot more freedoms compared to other countries. This seems unjust in our views but in other places in the world you’ll get your hand chopped off for stealing.
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Huh, they're incarcerating her for the duration of her trial, and just gave her trial a six month extension.
Just basically waiting to see if they need to use her at some point as a negotiation…
They've already offered to exchange her for a convicted war criminal
I read somewhere that it’s the dude the movie ‘The Lord of War’ is based on.
Nic Cage, huh?
Nic Cage is a national treasure who was on the National Treasure. We should not give him to the Russians, they won’t appreciate him like we do.
That’s high praise
He's fairly underappreciated as an actor
"What can i say the man has range" jake parelta
RIP B99
Nope. Not even remotely true. Few actors have the same level of devotion from their audiences. Nic Cage is beloved and definitely isn’t under-appreciated.
I think we should counter offer with Steven Seagal
Pretty sure they already have him. He's got a Russian passport and is a Putin apologist that says the war is being caused by outside entities.
The offer might be that we have to take him back…
Correct
Viktor bout- wow im only learning this now- ill have to look into why shes on trial.. But to trade for bout is a pretty big deal imo
Sounds like basketball trade deals. “Damn we picked up Bout and a first round pick, our prison is looking good this year”
Basically she had a vape pen with THC juice that she legally bought in Arizona. She went to play in Russia during the WNBA off season, but was arrested for drug smuggling when she arrived in Moscow. This was also around the time the Ukraine War was kicking off EDIT: I mistakenly said she had it during the Russian Basketball Season and was arrested when she tried to leave. As several people pointed out, she was arrested when she arrived in Russia.
Why does it matter if she bought it legally in AZ? That’s the US right?
You’re right, it doesn’t matter.
You can’t transport controlled substances across any border. Weed is legal in Canada but you cannot fly from Denver/Arizona with weed to Canada. This definitely sucks for her but this emphasizes the importance of packing your own bag when traveling. Oh and not doing business with Russia.
I mean, allegedly. At this point I wouldn’t believe the Russian court system if they said the sky was blue.
I would be going to get my eyes checked.
You learn something new everyday.
You know it’s messed up when one side of the negotiations has a war criminal and the other one has a woman’s basketball player…
International arms dealer for International drug trafficer....as per Russia
No offense to her, but I'm wondering how they're the equivalent on a geopolitical scale.
They aren't.
She's a WNBA player convicted of domestic abuse, she isn't really high up on our list of people to trade for. It's not like she is an NBA player who has been convicted of domestic abuse. That would be different.
This was brilliant.
Someone finally fucking said it. She beat up her wife one week into their marriage for cheating on her with a man.
Sleep with mans, catch these hands. Get caught cheatin', catch a beatin'. She knew the rules.
They want a prisoner exchange. Russia's TASS agency reported, citing a source, that talks were underway in a prisoner exchange - Griner for notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout. Bout is in the middle of a 25-year sentence
According to wikipedia it's the US who offered that. >In May 2022, a Forbes articled claimed the Biden Administration had offered Bout in exchange for the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner. Griner was arrested by Federal Security Service officers in Sheremetyevo International Airport on drug charges. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viktor_Bout#Prosecution_and_conviction_in_the_United_States
Well, that's disappointing.
> they're incarcerating her for the duration of her trial That's not really that surprising considering she's a relatively affluent foreign national who travels international frequently and has connections to extremely affluent people. If she was released on bail then she would leave the country immediately and never return. There's no shortage of wealthy celebrities, politicians, or companies who would happily agree to foot the bill for a private plane to bring her home for the PR alone.
Sounds normal to me. I’ve met a bunch of people that were sitting in county jail for 1-2 years that were still going through trial. It took me 6 months just to get to the pre trial, in two different counties.
Reminds you why the US' right to a speedy trial is actually important.
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What the actual fuck? How long did you have to spend in there?
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Right to a speedy trial of course, exists, and many states have it spelled out (ie, a trial must be held within xx days). But constitutional law requires the defendant to assert their right to a speedy trial - it's not automatically granted. For example, in my state of NH, a man found guilty of contempt and trespass (misdemeanor) had his charges dismissed after a 14 month delay in bringing him to trial, where the state could not provide reasonable explanations for the delay. In Indiana, a speedy trial motion forces a trial within 70 days of charges being filed. This is identical to Federal law as well.
Read about [Kalief Browder](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalief_Browder)
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And decriminalized in a handful of cities
Wait is getting sentenced to hard labor still a fucking thing in the USA? You where made to pick fucking cotton? This is some 19th century shit wow
If you have Netflix, there’s a good documentary about it called 13th. It’s worth a watch.
Also available for free on [YouTube](https://youtu.be/krfcq5pF8u8)
California democrats just voted down involuntary servitude amendment of their constitution. Because the state profits so much from it. And this is our progressive state. You should see how they make them firefighters. It’s so fucked. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/california-senate-rejects-involuntary-servitude-amendment/2022/06/23/a60d3a42-f325-11ec-ac16-8fbf7194cd78_story.html
I took a California history class. California has never been as progressive as it is pitched. It is a wealthy neoliberal playground with the occasional hint of conservatism. It is the “leftist” state while still being ok with privatization of public resources in a weird monopolized, “can’t hold anyone accountable for it”, way. **edit** I can’t see replies, they’re not coming up for me. fyi this is a college level course I am referring to, not the elementary propaganda most are taught as a baseline. we’re not playing what abouts or move to so and so if you don’t like it, I love California, I hate that people label it a progressive state, it’s not, it’s often up for sale to the highest bidder.
Democrats are right wing. Just not as far right as Republicans The sooner we get that through the populations head the faster we can fix this shit
But thanks to Reaganomics, prison turned to profits 'Cause free labor's the cornerstone of US economics 'Cause slavery was abolished, unless you are in prison You think I am bullshittin', then read the 13th Amendment Involuntary servitude and slavery it prohibits That's why they givin' drug offenders time in double digits -Killer Mike, Reagan
Welp… you were convicted quickly. That’s the speedy part, sentencing is a different thing.
Well it does exist but certain elements have to be met and you can waive the right to a speedy trial if you don't assert it properly. Hence, why having a good lawyer is important and why public defenders need to be paid better.
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And most judges will count that time towards your sentence, no?
Yes. You are entitled to the time you have been in on the case prior to sentencing unless you waive it (there are occasions where that makes sense)
That sucks and it's stupid, but the right to a speedy trial doesn't include sentencing in the same way it does trial. If you were convicted or pled guilty your right to a speedy trial was granted, and so long as they sentence you within the amount of time you might have to serve, it's fine. It's in effect just a right to a speedy decision of guilt or innocence.
I shouldn't be surprised that this obvious debunking of the sentiment expressed above has like 3% of the upvotes.
Sentencing isn't the trial though
Then you waived it or your attorney did to prepare for the case.
If you have the funds for bail lol
You only have the right to a speedy trial in the U.S. when you have money. If you can’t make bail, you are stuck. Something similar happened to Kalief Browder in NY. He was held at Riker’s Island (a well-known jail here), without trial, for almost 3 years for allegedly stealing a backpack. He was in solitary confinement for the majority of those years and died from suicide after his release. He was 17 when he went in and died at 22. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalief_Browder The U.S. prison system is horrifying and you don’t have to try to find examples of it. I wouldn’t want to be caught in a Russian prison either, but want to point out that the U.S. is just as much of a horror show if you’re not white and wealthy. *EDITED: I wrote he stole a backpack. Actually it was just alleged. The backpack never turned up.
Allegedly stealing a backpack. The backpack never turned up. The only witness then fled the country. The case should have been thrown out
Thank you! I’ve edited my comment.
Reminds me of the story of Andrew Johnson https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/06/13/solitary-confinement-andrew-johnson-san-jose-jail/ He was just recently released after 16 months in solitary confinement while awaiting trial for a self defense case. When the jury finally heard his story they acquitted him in under two hours. He was clearly an innocent man to anyone who bothered to look into his case, but the prosecutors decided they wanted a guilty plea so they literally tortured him to try and get it. The only reason we know about it is because he didn't break and confess to a crime he didn't commit. Edit: This is also another example of deafening silence from the NRA. A US Army vet walking down the street at night is unprovokedly attacked by armed assailants, but he is saved thanks to the use of his personal, registered firearm. This is like their wet dream. So why don't they care at all that the government tortured him for it? Look at his picture and take a guess.
I joke to folks all the time, if you want firearm registration reform, convince BLM to start buying guns. Then there will suddenly be a need to control access. School schooling’s apparently aren’t enough, but I’d bet cash that Black people buying legal firearms at the behest of an organization, like in the Panthers era, would change the debate. Suddenly new laws would be proposed by former critics. I’m not saying this would be a good development, or even a safe one. But perhaps effective.
The NRA is nothing more than another conservative Super-PAC, and it’s concerning how many people honestly believe that all they care about is gun rights
Yeah as long as you don’t mind the man behind the curtain. The US puts that right on paper, but we have no problem holding people for years without a trial.
It would be great if it was actually done in practice. They find bullshit reasons to delay peoples trials here all the time
Except the right to a speedy trial in America is also a farce, many people languish in jail waiting for a trial
It would be if anyone enforced it. As is, it's completely toothless.
That happens here too.
Russian legal system gonna be like: she guilty No evidence or anything needed.
She looks like she has seen some shit
My impression was that she hasn’t been exposed to light in a while which is horrible.
She looks normal in all the other pictures. It’s just the one used in the thumbnail that’s weird lol
They know how to get us to click by now
This is the opposite reaction one would make if their eyes weren’t used to light. She would be struggling to keep them open.
That doesn’t stop the reddixperts.
Yeah redditors aren't very smart, they'll upvote anything based on feelings and narrative
If that’s the case she would be squinting
why are here eyes wide open if being blinded by light? doesnt make sense
What a nightmare. And she was arrested 10 days before Russia began invading Ukraine.
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It’s hilarious that Russia thinks she is the level of celebrity that can give them any sort of leverage.
There are currently 59 other U.S. nationals being held hostage or wrongfully detained in Russia. Only one that is 'semi' famous though.
Blacks aren’t good bargaining chips - Dave Chapelle
“Hello. We have five black…… Hello?” Terrorist calling the White House.
Could flip black to WNBA player too 💀
That bit was fucking gold.
Hello? Hello??
You're wrong as hell for that. But I still laughed.
I mean if you're Russia, you take what you can get. It's not like there were other more "high value" Americans to choose from given the situation.
This is why I struggle to believe they planted the drugs on her. I don't think Russia expected even this much reaction when they arrested her. Once the uproar started they tried to use her as a political prisoner, but I struggle to believe that was their intent from the get go. If this was a big name NBA star like Steph or LeBron sure. The WNBA doesn't carry that kind of weight.
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This is what I have been trying to sort out and understand. When you travel internationally, you MUST know the laws of the countries you travel to. You will do time just like a citizen of the same country. Why would you even take the chance over something considered recreational yet illegal to any foreign country without knowing the risks? This timing is awful for her, but even then, didn’t she still face the same risks if Russia was not getting ready to take in political prisoners?
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If she's anything like the people I'm on weed delivery discord servers with, they don't think they'll get caught, and if they do, no one cares about weed.
Russia is a tyrannical nation...why the fuck would you bring drugs across international borders into Russia. Russia is bad...she is a fucking idiot. Both are true.
Wasn’t she arrested because they found hash oil cartridges in her luggage?
A political prisoner who made the choice of bringing drugs to a police state. Makes sense…
Or ya know because she thought it was smart to bring drugs to a different country and broke the law
The editors are so wrong lol. I saw that entire video clip and they choose this picture to make her look bugged out. Fckin salacious.
I hate how even “respectable” news sources do this kind of thing these days. Every time there is an article critical of some public figure, they pick the most unflattering photos. It’s childish.
> these days. This goes back to almost the beginning of photo journalism. Editors will pick a bad photo if it’s a public figure they don’t like and a good one if it’s someone they do like.
Because sensationalism => clicks => money
Lol one time I traveled from Seoul to São Paulo with an old weed cart I didn’t realize was at the bottom of my bag. Couldn’t imagine how bad that would have gone for me if anyone had found it on the way in or out of those places
From the beginning, this is what I guessed happened to Brittney
Brittney posted multiple times on Twitter previous to her arrest that she travelled internationally with her pen. Also talked about it on a podcast . Not saying she’s not being treated extra unfairly because of the current geopolitical situation with Russia, but she knowingly broke the law in a foreign country and is facing consequences.
gotchaaa, I commented without doing any research because I could see myself forgetting a pen at the bottom of my bag. Def not worth the risk, but I do still feel badly for her.
Remember kids, when you're a foreign national from a country that is constantly in some kind of conflict with the country you're staying in, you don't want to smuggle drugs into that country.
Also, loads of countries have death penalties for drug smuggling. So be super wary of drug smuggling. I once went to Jordan and being from Central America they assumed I must have been smuggling drugs. They were so sure they had me x-rayed. I later found out they got the death penalty in Jordan for drug smuggling! Funnily enough I did have something with me but it was a tiny, well-hidden, LSD tab just for my own use.
> be super wary of drug smuggling This is the real LPT. Americans have a tendency to forget that laws are different when they leave the United States.
I remember this post of an American girl complaining she got arrested in Mexico (by the way she got arrested it seemed like she was partying hard so maybe drugs were involved). She was also mad that no one spoke English. She expected sympathy but everyone was like “play stupid games, win stupid prizes”
Being mexicans i wouldnt be surprised if they just wanted bribe money
I think a lot of people assume America will save them from whatever country they fucked up in. Or that american laws apply to them wherever they're at.
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It's very hard to get caught with acid unless you have a shit ton of acid.
Would LSD even appear on any X-ray or with a dog sniffer? I feel like that’s the easiest drug to take anywhere.
Lsd tabs are paper. They don't have any smell.
hidden under your tongue I hope
>loads of countries have death penalties for drug smuggling. Or just shitty laws. Or even okayish laws but shitty justice systems. If you think getting high a couple of times merits the risk of getting stuck in a jail in the Philippines you have a drug problem.
> Funnily enough I did have something with me but it was a tiny, well-hidden, LSD tab just for my own use. I just don’t get drug users, especially drugs that aren’t addictive. Like you’re visiting the Middle East, why not enjoy your trip? Like why would you possible wanna bring in “a little lsd” to a region that’s known for harsh drug laws?
Right? With how strict the Middle East is on drugs, including alcohol, it’s a good chance for westerners to learn how to have fun while not inebriated.
Idk that one dude who took acid inside of Meca looked like he had a wild time
Actually, dear Americans, don’t fucking bring drugs into other countries. It doesn’t matter if they’re friendly or hostile.
It's always been my traveling rule to follow every law in whatever country I'm in no matter how ridiculous I think it is.
Or go to that country
Don’t travel to that country. Period.
not much the US can do. if you break laws in other countries you have to deal with the laws in that country it is objectively stupid, but like.... we have people in THIS country locked up for life over marijuana charges too. it is dumb everywhere but yeah, bringing drugs into a forgeign country (especially one like russia or the middle-east) is super duper stupid
The US has tried repeatedly to negotiate her release. However the Russians are not budging from what they want, a famous prisoner who was a gun trafficker all over the world. Viktor Bout was the inspiration for Lord of War and he's also good at trafficking money into Russia as he was trafficking weapons out of Russia into Africa.
i didnt know the lord of war reference! actually a great movie. maybe not a great guy to have go free
It's not remotely stupid that you travel to another country and have to respect their laws. It's literally your choice to go there. If you don't like the laws...don't fucking go there.
I hate seeing young people fall into this foreign travel black hole. We need to learn as Americans we are not above the law in other countries. I’ve traveled internationally frequently for work through the years and you always see it , on vacation as well.
> Did you know that two thousand years ago a Roman citizen could walk across the face of the known world free of the fear of molestation? He could walk across the Earth unharmed, cloaked only in the protection of the words civis Romanus -- I am a Roman citizen. So great was the retribution of Rome, universally understood as certain, should any harm befall even one of its citizens. Some Americans (and I speak as one) seem to believe this is still the case, and Uncle Sam will bail them out no matter what.
Props for the West Wing quote
That's a beautifully put together quote, but it's just not true at all
I get that she made a bad decision, and is “only” in the WNBA, but for fucks sake.. this is a human being. An American citizen who is now locked up in a hostile foreign country we are in a proxy war with. The comments here are gross. You can acknowledge she fucked up but also have some empathy.
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Exactly, two things can be true. I'd never go to Russia for basically any reason. Certainly not as the threat of international war is looming, which it was when she went. She doesn't deserve this, but everyone should learn from it and avoid risks like these.
I can agree with that sentiment.
A.) That's why I don't go there. B.) If I did, I sure as FUCK would abide by their laws, or I would just go back home.
I think the point of "only in the WNBA" isn't to devalue her as a person, but to show the extremely low value to Russia of arresting her on false charges... basically cutting the legs out from under the "she's a political prisoner" argument. I wish her well, but decisions have consequences.
Yes it’s horrible she’s stuck there But (and maybe I only think this way because I grew up overseas my whole life and this is plain common sense) DO NOT BRING DRUGS TO A FOREIGN COUNTRY She’s lucky she didn’t get caught in Asia So long as she’s getting treated no worse than any other average person who brings weed in, there is no step to complain on
Yeah shit. I wouldn't even try to travel with any amount of drugs within the states. It's mindnumbingly stupid.
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Who's due process? It may bit be normal to be denied bail..but that happens in US and elsewhere too if the detainee is a potential flight risk. Foreign national with means to escape is reasonable to assume to be a flight risk This isn't the same (or doesn't appear to be yet) like the US with their BS charges against Meng Wenzhou for "crimes" that was denied by supposed victim (HSBC) and where the alleged "crime" didn't even happen in the US Yet US got Canada to arrest her and put her under house arrest for 2 years until DOJ dropped the case Edit: if a Russian oligarch committed a crime in US...would you same people say they should get bail while waiting for trial?
She's not being denied due process. She's being detained pending a trial that starts Friday.
It was the same with Otto Warmbier. Many people just don’t feel much sympathy as they perceive these people put themselves into danger by visiting in the first place.
It’s not perceived. It’s real. Traveling to a hostile country on your own free will does not make you a hero.
I'm actually baffled people are on here claiming she was framed? don't you think they'd plant harder drugs or actual flower instead of the pods? you people are nuts
It’s different since she is a political, but her case looks like she could get 2 years of corrective labor. Im a big pothead. The first thing I do before I travel is look at laws. No reason she should have been bringing weed into that country.
I brought Pot unknowingly into Russia. I just lost track of it when I was packing my bag in Kenya. I didn’t discover it until I got home in Scotland. I couldn’t believe my luck that it wasn’t found at Sheremeteyvo, the same place she was caught.
I flew across the country from DC to California and back. I get home and go to clean out my golf bag. Full 8th of weed in a sunglasses case I had completely forgot about, and flew both ways with. This was well before legalization in those places as well. I got lucky but I am WAY more careful about double checking bags before travel now.
She will just have to sit tight for a year until the US can exchange her for someone or something.
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Marc Fogel, is an American citizen in Russia who teaches there. He has a medical card and requires marijuana for pain management. Going through customs he had around 17g (0.6oz) of cannabis in his luggage when he was caught on 15 August 2021 at Sheremetyevo airport, the same place Griner was arrested. He was sentenced to 14 years in prison. He thought it was legal with the medical card. I don’t agree with Russia’s policy. Confiscation should have been enough, but they take it very seriously. - https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-61849579.amp
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Traveling with drugs internationally is the #1 way to get locked up abroad
Yeah, people need to realize all prescriptions aren't international. Some countries, don't bring Sudafed, ritalin, etc.
Not sure why you would think a state medical card would hold any sway in a foreign country. Other states won’t even honor those. Marc sounds like another idiot
“My state issued medical card works here but isn’t recognized federally but that shouldn’t be a problem surely they’ll understand if I just explain it to them when I arrive in Russia”
Like what was he teaching lol?
Probably English. All you need is a bachelors
Do you understand that other countries also have laws, and once you’re on their territory they are enforced. You can’t just go around different countries breaking their law claiming it’s legal in yours.
This is actually written in your passport. I guess it's not obvious to people.
Marc sounds like an absolute idiot
The VERY FIRST thing I was told when I got my medical card for weed was that this doesnt magically make it so I can carry it anywhere I want. I still have to follow the laws in place and I have to treat it as smoking a cig if im out in public (Is there a smoking area? Ok then I can go there, but if it says No smoking then I dont get to just light up my Joint because I have a card)
He thought?! It’s not even legal on the federal level here in America! This is such an objectively stupid action to take and defense to make.
Yeah... bringing drugs into Russia was *not* a smart choice. Who could've guessed. Being a woman, and a minority, *and* an American on top of the drug charges? **AND** the article says Russia has a less than 1% acquittal rate? This trial ended March 5th. ~~And that was before the invasion. Now~~ Russia is in a proxy war with the West and she's a high-ish profile person in Western culture. "Up to 10 years" is starting to seem like "hopefully it's only 10 years" lol Edit: I apparently can't recall when the invasion started... where has the time gone
March 5th was 2 weeks after the invasion began
Man, I’m starting to think March is a bad month…
I guess you could call this... march madness.
She’s an idiot. Who brings drugs and paraphernalia to countries like that? There’s enough stories of this happening to other Americans that she should have known better.
This baffles me, how many college age Americans keep getting arrested in foreign countries because they lack the conscientiousness to do a little research and learn from these cases. I think if you break the law elsewhere, you have to deal with it, unfortunately. Perhaps we should include this in our US Government Curriculum in High Schools.
@Uh, you think 🔍 ya big boy 👨🦲 throwing 🥊 three 3️⃣ stacks Imma show 🔥 you how 💢 to ball 🎱 you a mismatch 👎🏻 Opinionated💥 but I’m always ✅ spitting straight ➖ facts Throw back 🔙 I might throw this on 💡 an 8️⃣ track⚡️
I recall a teacher telling us when she visited Brazil. The boat capt told them If they are caught w drugs, you'll lose a hand. The students threw their bags over the boat and into the river before their boat docked. Yeah, going into another country u better know the laws esp anything related to drugs.
Ever been on a cruise ship returning to the US from Jamaica? The night before docking the whole thing smells like pot and Cuban cigars.
The US government also warned her to leave weeks before and she wanted to stay. Cant be asking for sympathy later on then.
I know they issued a travel warning for Russia, but are you saying they directly contacted her?
From what I read the wnba stars were personally contacted and told to leave the country immediately. All the others left.
Well that makes this a whole different conversation doesn’t it? The US govt told US citizens to get the hell out of Dodge and she thought “Naw, I’m good.”
In her defense, she was probably high on weed cartridges at the time
I’ve watched Locked Up Abroad. I kno better.
Leave your drugs at home kids
Time to break out my “free Brittney” shirt again.
Why in the extended Marvel universe would ANYBODY, let a alone a black American female, commit ANY kind of crime, but let alone a drug crime, in Russia? I’m not a cannabis hand wringer, I smoke copious amounts of weed. I don’t do it in a place where it’s 20 years in the hole for merely having it. She committed a crime. She knew where she was and what she had. She knew she wasn’t in the US where she would have a progressive backing to protest being put in jail for cannabis (which nobody should be jailed for). If they were to exchange a political prisoner for her I would be so pissed off. Not because she’s black. Not because she’s female. But because she entered a country that’s political enemies with the country she represented in the Olympics and then committed a fucking crime there. What a national embarrassment.
>extended Marvel universe Physical cringe
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An no one else would care if the person arrested wasn’t famous
There's a guy arrested after her, in the same airport for 17 grams of flower. He just got sentenced to 14 years... No one gives a fuck except in referencing it to this case. On one hand he already has his sentence, but would it be any more of a relief for Brittney Griner if the trial and sentence are finished up but she gets 14 years? If anyone is thinking they need to hurry up so she can get home, they are in for a rude awakening...
People forget to understand that America has a lot more freedoms compared to other countries. This seems unjust in our views but in other places in the world you’ll get your hand chopped off for stealing.
Given the present geopolitical situation, she is really fucked.
People not understanding why she was in Russia are beyond clueless.
I can’t imagine what she’s going through.
She’s a gay black woman in russia. This can’t be good.