BmoreNews.com
  • Latest News
  • Black Wall Street
  • Business
  • Stocks
  • Politics
  • Videos
  • Login
  • Register
  BREAKING
Governor Moore Releases Supplemental FY 2024 Budget Plan March 27, 2023
FACETIME WITH PRIMES BUSINESSES NETWORKING EVENT**APRIL 25, 2023 AT B & O RAILROAD MUSEUM**SAVE THE DATE March 27, 2023
Wisconsin Race Reminds Us How Important Every Election Is March 27, 2023
Support the Joe Manns Black Wall St. Awards! March 27, 2023
Mukasa Dada to be Recognized at Black Wall Street ATLANTA on May 17th March 27, 2023
Wayne Frazier, President of MD-Washington Minority Companies Assoc. March 27, 2023
Speaker Adrienne Jones Session Update March 24 March 26, 2023
Former State Senator Nathaniel J. McFadden is EDO Legend March 26, 2023
26 Months Since the Jan. 6 Attack on the Capitol March 26, 2023
White House celebrating Women’s History Month #bmorenews March 27, 2023
Next
Prev
No Result
View All Result
en English
en Englishfr Françaisde Deutschit Italianoru Русскийes Español
Subscribe
Live
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Editorial/Op-Ed
  • The Glover Report
  • Black Wall Street
  • Video
  • Polls
  • Questions
  • Forum
Live
No Result
View All Result
BmoreNews.com
Live
Home News

Brittney Griner guilty plea possible ‘gamble’ to speed up Russia exit: expert

Doni Glover by Doni Glover
July 18, 2022
in News
0 0
A A
0
ADVERTISEMENT

Imprisoned basketball player Brittney Griner’s guilty plea to drug charges may play a role in speeding up her exit from Russia, but it’s a risky gamble that may have significant downsides, a hostage expert told Fox News Digital. 

“I can’t say that’s the right or the wrong thing to do because, in any event, the Russian system … it’s not our system,” said Hugh Dugan, the acting special envoy for hostage affairs during the Trump administration. “But that’s the gamble based on the direction that her attorneys counsel her.

“To our eyes, it looks like, OK, this gets her into that status where they can do a [prisoner] swap.”

Griner, who pleaded guilty to drug charges July 7, has been held in Russia since February after Russian authorities say they found vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage.

RUSSIAN PRISONER BRITTNEY GRINER AND THE GROWING TREND OF HOSTAGE DIPLOMACY

The guilty plea does not bring an end to the case, but some have suggested it could speed up the process along with Griner’s exit from prison. She could make herself eligible for a prisoner swap between Moscow and Washington, D.C.

Dugan explained that, by the books, Griner would have to return to the U.S. and finish her sentence in an American prison, something he believes would not happen in any formal manner if it occurred. 

“In that type of prisoner swap, you’re supposed to finish your sentences and respect the judgment of each respective country,” he said, adding that he would “doubt that the Russians would force their guy to sit in prison there for another so many years.

“That would mean you set up a certain jail here for the next ten years, at least, if it were a bona fide prisoner swap under our consular procedures and agreements with Russia on these matters,” Dugan added. “We didn’t see it happen with [Trevor] Reed. I didn’t see it happen with any type of such arrangements when I was acting either.” 

BRITTNEY GRINER HAD DOCTOR’S RECOMMENDATION FOR MEDICAL CANNABIS IN U.S.

Rebekah Koffler, president of Doctrine & Strategy Consulting and a former DIA intelligence officer, explained that most details of any dealings would remain out of the public and within diplomatic channels. 

“They don’t want anything public,” she said. “The one thing about the Russian system that is very, very different from the American system is that there’s virtually no independent judicial process, especially in cases of high visibility like that.” 

RELATED TOPICS

Mayor Scott Mourns Lives Lost in Saturday Morning Fire

Local Journalists Celebrate Black Press Day

Championship Boxing, April 22nd, Patapsco Arena: MALIK TITUS

WNBA superstar Brittney Griner sits inside a defendant's cage during a hearing at the Khimki Court in the town of Khimki outside Moscow July 15, 2022.

“Russians are saying she isn’t unlawfully detained. She possessed drugs,” Koffler continued. “It’s basically the clash of two legal systems.” 

She added that it depends on “what Putin wants.” 

Buy JNews
ADVERTISEMENT

ENES KANTER FREEDOM CALLS OUT LEBRON JAMES: ‘BREAKS MY HEART WHEN PEOPLE TAKE THEIR FREEDOM FOR GRANTED’

Dugan worried that by pleading guilty — even if Griner does intend to make herself eligible for a prisoner swap and speed up her exit from Moscow — Griner has made Russia’s negotiating position stronger. 

Part of the issue arises from Griner “admitting” to her criminal activity, which Dugan argued makes it difficult to classify her a hostage. He noted that officials had a hard time arguing for her “hostage” status since she was in pretrial proceedings for months already, meaning her status would more qualify as “wrongfully detained.” 

WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner is escorted to a courtroom for a hearing in Khimki just outside Moscow, Russia, June 27, 2022.

“It’s a roll of the dice as to what we’re dealing with,” he said, noting that if Griner tried to argue her innocence, the Russian courts could set her next hearing months or even years later. “Russia will do what it wants anyway. … It’s kind of a no-win situation no matter what.”

And Griner is not the only American in Russian custody. Trevor Reed recently returned home, but Paul Whelan, an executive at automative supplier BorgWarner, remains in prison after he was left out of the prisoner swap that brought Reed home. 

ADVERTISEMENT

The James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, which tracks Americans wrongfully detained in foreign countries, lists more than 60 U.S. citizens detained in countries that include Belarus, China, Cuba, Egypt, Iran, Nicaragua, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey and Venezuela, among others, according to Reuters. 

Peter Aitken is a Fox News Digital reporter with a focus on national and global news. 

Source: Fox News

ShareTweetShareShareSend
Doni Glover

Doni Glover

A journalist since 1994, he also founded DMGlobal Marketing & Public Relations. Glover has an extensive list of clients including corporations, non-profits, government agencies, politics, business owners, PR firms, and attorneys.

Related Articles

Next Phaze Monday
News

Next Phaze Cafe Monday Nights

by Staff Reporter
March 9, 2023
0
26

Calling all musicians, poets, and performers! Come showcase your talent...

Read more
Black Press Day 2023
News

Come and Celebrate Black Press Day, March 16th at Nancy by SNAC

by Staff Reporter
March 9, 2023
0
27

(BALTIMORE - March 8, 2023) - Founded on March 16,...

Read more
Black Press Day is observed on March 16 every year. It commemorates when the first Black newspaper, “Freedom's Journal,” hit the stands in New York City in 1827.
News

Doni Glover Show: Black Press Day is March 16, 2023

by Staff Reporter
March 8, 2023
0
15

Freedom’s Journal, established the same year that slavery was abolished...

Read more
Damon Hughes
News

Homegoing Services for Damon Hughes

by Staff Reporter
March 7, 2023
0
359

Monday, March 13th Viewing - Wylie Funeral Home (9200 Liberty...

Read more
Spelman College Alumni LaQuida Chancey
News

MEET LAQUIDA CHANCEY OF SMALLTIMORE HOMES

by Staff Reporter
March 6, 2023
0
57

By Chap Loveless (BALTIMORE - March 5, 2023) - Smalltimore...

Read more
In this episode, Ken and Gloria talk about their upbringing. Gloria tells how life was growing up in Detroit and Ken talks about growing up in Yonkers, New York.
News

Ep. 1 of Banking On The Banks premiered. Join the Conversation.

by Staff Reporter
March 4, 2023
0
59

In this episode, Ken and Gloria talk about their upbringing....

Read more
Load More

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recommended Stories

State Sen. Bill Ferguson. Port Covington $100m CBA. (Crea

July 21, 2022
0

Catalina Byrd interviews Mario at Carmelo Anthony Center’s Bookbag Give-away (Melo vs. Mario)

July 26, 2022
0

Knicole Mosby-Taylor – BlackUSA.news #MoBW

July 19, 2022
0
ADVERTISEMENT

Popular Stories

  • Damon Hughes, Black Business Champion

    Guest Editorial: Damon Hughes Tribute

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Power Couple Marc Clarke & Allison Seymour to be Recognized at Black Wall Street DMV, Feb. 3rd

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • HBO’s “The Wire” Actor Richard Burton to receive BMORENews Lifetime Achievement Award

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • A Real Westside Story: The Men of Matthew Henson #29 Still Connected After Half a Century

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • The Glover Report: Public Apology to Baltimore City School Board Candidates/Finalists Ashley Esposito and Salimah Jasani

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
BmoreNews.com

BmoreNews.com is an online news outlet based in Baltimore, MD established in 2002. Yes, this is our 20th Anniversary year. We primarily cover news and developments from an African American/Black perspective.

LEARN MORE »

Recent Posts

  • Governor Moore Releases Supplemental FY 2024 Budget Plan
  • FACETIME WITH PRIMES BUSINESSES NETWORKING EVENT**APRIL 25, 2023 AT B & O RAILROAD MUSEUM**SAVE THE DATE
  • Wisconsin Race Reminds Us How Important Every Election Is

Sections

  • Black Wall Street
  • Business
  • Editorial/Op-Ed
  • News
  • Politics
  • The Glover Report
  • Uncategorized
  • Video

Newsletter

The most important world news and events of the day

Be the first to know latest important news & events directly to your inbox.

By signing up, I agree to our TOS and Privacy Policy.

  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Advertise
  • Press Release
  • Contact

© 2022 BmoreNews.com - Created by Sawah Dev.

No Result
View All Result
  • Latest News
  • Black Wall Street
  • Business
  • Stocks
  • Politics
  • Videos

© 2022 BmoreNews.com - Created by Sawah Dev.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In