Brittney Griner Convicted in Russia, Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison: Celebrities React

usmagazine.com:

Hoping for a solution. After Brittney Griner was convicted of drug smuggling in Russia, plenty of WNBA players and other celebrities weighed in to express their support for the athlete.“Thinking of BG and how much light she relentlessly brought to everyone around her,” tweeted Brianna Turner, who plays with the Olympic gold medalist, 31, on the Phoenix Mercury. “Even after sentencing is complete I hope @POTUS & @WhiteHouse will continue to do everything in their power to bring Brittney Griner & all other Americans detained abroad home.”The Houston native was convicted in a Russian court on Thursday, August 4, six months after she was arrested and detained at a Moscow airport.

She was sentenced to nine years in prison and fined 1 million rubles, or about $16,400.After the court issued its verdict, President Joe Biden called Griner’s sentence “unacceptable” in a statement released by the White House. “Today, American citizen Brittney Griner received a prison sentence that is one more reminder of what the world already knew: Russia is wrongfully detaining Brittney,” the former senator, 79, said. “It’s unacceptable, and I call on Russia to release her immediately so she can be with her wife, loved ones, friends, and teammates.”The former vice president continued: “My administration will continue to work tirelessly and pursue every possible avenue to bring Brittney and Paul Whelan home safely as soon as possible.” (Whelan, 52, is a former Marine who has been detained in Russia since December 2018.)Brittney’s wife, Cherelle Griner, previously slammed the Biden administration for failing to act to free the athlete. “Initially, you know, I was told … we’re going to try and handle this behind [the] scenes and, you know, let’s not