The lawyer of Britney Griner, a popular American female basketball player, has said that the athlete has not been in good condition since she was detained in Russia.
In a recent interview with The New York Post, her lawyer, Alexandr D. Boykov, explained that the NBA baller facing nine years behind bars “has not been in as good condition as I could sometimes find her in.”
He gave her living condition in a Russian prison, stating that Ms. Griner is allowed outside once a day. During that time, she walks for an hour in a small courtyard at a penal colony outside Moscow.
He added that she spends the rest of her time in a small cell with two cellmates, sitting and sleeping on a specially elongated bed to accommodate her 6-foot-9 frame.
Brittney has been jailed for ninth months and is increasingly anxious about her chances of being freed in a prisoner swap and struggling emotionally, one of her lawyers said.
Although Griner has a hearing about the appeal of her conviction scheduled for October 25th, she is not so convinced that the United States would be able to bring her home or try to reduce her sentence.
Her lawyer, Alexandr said:
“She is not yet absolutely convinced that America will be able to take her home.”
The lawyer added that he spoke with his client saying, “She is very worried about what the price of that will be, and she is afraid that she will have to serve the whole sentence here in Russia.”
Alexandr hopes Brittney’s nine-year sentence, which he called “an unprecedented punishment” for marijuana possession, would be reduced because the decision taken by the first court is very different from judicial practice.”
“Considering all the circumstances, taking into account my client’s personality traits and her admission of guilt, such a verdict should be absolutely impossible.”