Brittney Griner....WTH!

[joelbc1]

So a lady basketballer goes to visit a foreign country, carrying contraband in her luggage and gets arrested by the host nation.
First question is why would anyone wanna go to Russia for anything, right now? Secondly...why would you even consider tempting arrest bu carrying anything that could be remotely considered “contraband” on your person/ property if visiting there?
Now, I understand, “we” have one of theirs and they want him back..and apparently “we” are going to end up trading for him. WhAt bothers me is “we” are giving up a really bad guy for a person that, other than being stupid, didn’t really commit a crime of substance. My real frustration here is, “WHY would a US citizen an illegal substance abroad? Other than “ entitlement” nothing comes to mind.
PLUS, now this is Joe Bidem’s Problem to solve, according to the prisoners wife!

 

[State of Illinois]

So lol

 

[Huey Grey]

Women bball players don't get paid shit. She went there to play. And it was just oil. She got railroaded.

 

[QChawks]

 

[Theyset.theStage]

Do not want pic of lady basketballer or her wife

 

[SWIowahawks]

Women bball players don't get paid shit. She went there to play. And it was just oil. She got railroaded.

Is it legal or illegal in Russia?

 

[NDallasRuss]

Women bball players don't get paid shit. She went there to play. And it was just oil. She got railroaded.

But it's still against the law, and it's still Russia. She very well should've known better. Sure, she's gotten waaayy worse than the normal penalty, so they can hold her hostage for an exchange, but she could've easily avoided the whole thing.

 

[TonyTheTiger.1865]

We do not make the laws in other countries. You break their laws you pay the price. I suspect she had paid some security person to let her get by with it and under the current political climate she got caught.

Americans need to realize the constitution ends at our borders.

I remember a contractor getting arrested in Saudi Arabia for having a copy of an episode of the love boat.
It is their country and they make the laws, you better accept that or do not go there.

 

[Aardvark86]

So a lady basketballer goes to visit a foreign country, carrying contraband in her luggage and gets arrested by the host nation.
First question is why would anyone wanna go to Russia for anything, right now? Secondly...why would you even consider tempting arrest bu carrying anything that could be remotely considered “contraband” on your person/ property if visiting there?
Now, I understand, “we” have one of theirs and they want him back..and apparently “we” are going to end up trading for him. WhAt bothers me is “we” are giving up a really bad guy for a person that, other than being stupid, didn’t really commit a crime of substance. My real frustration here is, “WHY would a US citizen an illegal substance abroad? Other than “ entitlement” nothing comes to mind.
PLUS, now this is Joe Bidem’s Problem to solve, according to the prisoners wife!

because she's a d list celebrity, and thus really important.

When I traveled to the Soviet Union back in the day, we were given three instructions going in:
1. Be careful drinking vodka with Russians.
2. No falling in love with Russian women.
3. Whatever you do, do not bring drugs into the country.

 

[Mister Hawkeyes]

Yeah, this one sucks.

On one hand she is an American citizen and is playing basketball overseas for more money. Nobody can blame her for that.

On the other hand, she's playing basketball in another country. I'm positive she knew very well that trying to sneak in an illegal substance was worse than a bad idea. She made her own bed here. It sucks to see one of our own locked up overseas, but it's not like they arrested her because she's an American. They arrested her because she was carrying an illegal substance.

This is a lose-lose situation for America. If we trade for her, we lose. If we just leave her there, we lose.

Admittedly, I'm not well versed on the situation. Would this be like trading prime LeBron James for Nicholas Baer (not trying to throw shade at Baer)?

 

[Joes Place]

So a lady basketballer goes to visit a foreign country, carrying contraband in her luggage and gets arrested by the host nation.

No

The Russians are notorious for putting contraband INTO people's stuff and then arresting them.

This is BAU for that regime.

 

[Aardvark86]

Is it legal or illegal in Russia?

There is no doubt that she has essentially been taken hostage, and shame on them for that. But you can't be stupid enough to put yourself in that position.

 

[Aardvark86]

No

The Russians are notorious for putting contraband INTO people's stuff and then arresting them.

This is BAU for that regime.

this is true, though I do not think i have seen anything to the effect that she has asserted the "not mine" defense. And indeed, if they were going to plant something, I suspect they'd just plant weed or something else.

 

[Joes Place]

There is no doubt that she has essentially been taken hostage, and shame on them for that. But you can't be stupid enough to put yourself in that position.

Everyone here is assuming she actually did it, vs. Russian intel services planting stuff on her to use her as a political pawn. Which they have done many times in the past.

 

[theiacowtipper]

No idea but I don’t trust the Russians to be telling the truth about any of this. Is it beyond belief that they simply planted drugs on her so they would have a relatively high profile American in custody?

The Putin regime isn’t exactly the most honest and forthright group of people.

 

[hawkeye54545]

I realize it's a minor offense but use your damn head when in another country. Reminds me of the UCLA players shoplifting in China.

One was maybe one of the Ball kids?

 

[NDallasRuss]

No

The Russians are notorious for putting contraband INTO people's stuff and then arresting them.

This is BAU for that regime.

Maybe it's my lack of paying attention, but I haven't heard it alleged that this is what happened, versus her trying to sneak it in.

 

[seminole97]

Americans need to realize the constitution ends at our borders.

Hell, many of your rights as an American end 100 miles from the border.

https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/border-zone

 

[fredjr82]

We do not make the laws in other countries. You break their laws you pay the price.

Locked Up Abroad always does a great job of reminding me not to break the law in other countries. I don't break them here either (that @Hawkman98 knows about) but certainly never in any of those places

 

[hawkiniowacity]

I bring edibles with me everywhere i go. Taken them to China, Iceland, Colombia, Costa Rica, and just about every Carribean island.

 

[TonyTheTiger.1865]

Everyone here is assuming she actually did it, vs. Russian intel services planting stuff on her to use her as a political pawn. Which they have done many times in the past.

Please show the evidence that this has happened many times in the past. You are always making sh!t up and talking out of your @ss.

Would the Russians plant pot on someone, I suspect yes. Do you have any evidence they did, no.

Why her? There have been many much higher profile Americans in Russia at the time and since coming and going and no other incidents?

Why would the Russians not do it with a much higher profile important person?

Most people have never heard of her prior to this.

I suspect she is guilty, and just stupid.

 

[Tfxchawk]

Of all the people to plant things on and hold hostage Russia picks a black female basketball player from the most sexist and racist country on the planet? Russian intelligence is much worse than we thought.

She did it so let's stop with the conspiracy bs. Russia might be taking advantage of the opportunity but that's it

 

[Joes Place]

Please show the evidence that this has happened many times in the past.

You seriously this naive?

 

[SWIowahawks]

Everyone here is assuming she actually did it, vs. Russian intel services planting stuff on her to use her as a political pawn. Which they have done many times in the past.

Griner pleads guilty to drug charges in Russia

Detained WNBA star Brittney Griner has pleaded guilty to drug charges in a Russian court that could result in a 10-year prison sentence, saying "there was no intent" and that "I didn't want to break the law."

www.espn.com

Nice try.

 

[Joes Place]

Please show the evidence that this has happened many times in the past.

Russia: Ex-officers convicted of planting drugs on reporter

Five former Russian police officers have been convicted on charges of fabricating evidence in the 2019 drug arrest of a prominent investigative journalist

abcnews.go.com

 

[Joes Place]

Griner pleads guilty to drug charges in Russia

Detained WNBA star Brittney Griner has pleaded guilty to drug charges in a Russian court that could result in a 10-year prison sentence, saying "there was no intent" and that "I didn't want to break the law."

www.espn.com

Nice try.

From your link:
"Sources said the guilty plea was a strategy to help facilitate a prisoner swap that could bring Griner home, and it also was a recognition that there was no way she was going to be acquitted.

U.S. officials and Russia experts have described the trial on drug smuggling charges as "theater," with a guilty verdict seen as a foregone conclusion."

 

[Hawki97]

FWIW she admitted in court today that she inadvertently brought it in. For those thinking the Ruskies planted it on her though - the line will be that she had to admit to it whether true or not to expedite the trial and release.

Griner pleads guilty to drug charges in Russia

Detained WNBA star Brittney Griner has pleaded guilty to drug charges in a Russian court that could result in a 10-year prison sentence, saying "there was no intent" and that "I didn't want to break the law."

www.espn.com

 

[Joes Place]

Please show the evidence that this has happened many times in the past.

'It's Easy To Ruin Someone's Life': Kaliningrad Case Revives Discussion Of Russia's Fake Drug Prosecutions

A criminal case has been opened against an undisclosed number of police officers in the Russian city of Kaliningrad for allegedly fabricating a drug-possession case to inflate their performance on the job. Rights advocates say the case reflects a widespread police practice of planting drugs and...

www.rferl.org

 

[Joes Place]

FWIW she admitted in court today that she inadvertently brought it in.

As already pointed out from other links, this simply speeds up the process.

Russians pull this shit to get "prisoner exchanges" for their own spies, etc.
Could she be guilty? Sure.

But basing an opinion on a legal strategy designed to speed the process of release up is kinda silly.

 

[Hawki97]

NM

 

[BubsFinn]

The bottom line is we are going to surrender a valuable prisoner for a useless one. If the Russians planted the substance on her, it’s still her fault for going there in the first place.

 

[Hawki97]

As already pointed out from other links, this simply speeds up the process.

Russians pull this shit to get "prisoner exchanges" for their own spies, etc.
Could she be guilty? Sure.

But basing an opinion on a legal strategy designed to speed the process of release up is kinda silly.

Griner (or the cabal of Ruskies that that planted the drugs if that's the case) are the only ones who will ever know definitively what happened. For the rest of us, we're just guessing.

 

[jasonrann]

Locked Up Abroad always does a great job of reminding me not to break the law in other countries. I don't break them here either (that @Hawkman98 knows about) but certainly never in any of those places

I will never forget getting off planes in China, walking to customs in a haze and seeing the warning signs that carrying drugs or weapons was punishable by death. Um, yeah, not worth it.

 

[Hawki97]

I will never forget getting off planes in China, walking to customs in a haze and seeing the warning signs that carrying drugs or weapons was punishable by death. Um, yeah, not worth it.

They don't mess around in Asia. I used to travel all over there. China, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore...everyone of them has the same penalty. I HATED having to check a bag and always watched my carry on like a hawk.

 

[SeaPA]

Everyone here is assuming she actually did it, vs. Russian intel services planting stuff on her to use her as a political pawn. Which they have done many times in the past.

I think there have been at least as many - probably more - who've assumed that the substance was planted. It certainly is plausible that a young adult may have had that item on her by her own choice/mistake.

 

[mnole03]

I think there have been at least as many - probably more - who've assumed that the substance was planted. It certainly is plausible that a young adult may have had that item on her by her own choice/mistake.

I think there’s probably a middle ground where this is a selectively enforced law.

That said, I don’t feel sympathy for her. She went to Russia for the money. Everyone knew who Putin was.

 

[fredjr82]

I will never forget getting off planes in China, walking to customs in a haze and seeing the warning signs that carrying drugs or weapons was punishable by death. Um, yeah, not worth it.

I always wondered if this was a real sign back in the day? Granted it's from Fear and Loathing from the 90s but wasn't sure about Vegas in the 70s and if it was authentic'ish

 

[nolesincebirth]

Trump got ASAP ROCKY released. Just sayin’

 

[hawkland14]

NM

No no. Joes knows what happened.

 

[StormHawk42]

It’s sad and the Russians are exploiting it but it’s still a “wtf were you thinking?!” situation.

Having said that, her college coach raised a good point that if this were LeBron James, it would have been resolved by now. And she’s probably right.