A Twin Cities-based sports business attorney doesn't have much hope that pro basketball player Brittney Griner will be free anytime soon. Griner is on trial in Russia for drug possession.
Speaking to WCCO's Henry Lake, Silton called Griner a “political hostage.”
“You know, it's a really complicated situation,” Silton says. “It's a travesty. I mean, don't get caught in a foreign country when the United States, essentially tacitly declares war on them. You're going to be arrested for something.”
Russian officials say Griner had cannabis oil in her luggage when she was arrested in February. A conviction carries a ten-year prison sentence under Russian law. The arrest happened a week before Russia invaded Ukraine.
Silton says Griner’s trial will ultimately lead to a conviction.
“She's a very unique political hostage,” Silton says. “Obviously this trial is going to be a complete travesty. She's going to be convicted, she's going to get the maximum sentence. It's all going to be in the name of law order and all that. It's going to be ridiculous.”
CBS News reports there is no way to know how long Griner's trial in Russia will last, saying it could be days or months.
The U.S. State Department in May designated Griner as wrongfully detained, moving her case under the supervision of its special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, effectively the government's chief hostage negotiator.
Griner is one of the stars of the WNBA and plays for the Phoenix Mercury. Like many players in the WNBA, Griner travel overseas in the offseason and she was entering Russia to play in the Russian Premier League.
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