WNBA superstar Brittney Griner has been detained in Russia for nearly five months for allegedly carrying vape cartridges that had hashish oil. With a 10-year sentence looming, there have been calls by many to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to work on a way to secure Griner’s safe return to the United States.
Many have felt that the president isn’t doing enough and that included Griner’s wife, Cherelle, who said that U.S. officials “are not doing anything” to free Brittney.
Things seemed to have smoothed over as the White House revealed that the president and vice president spoke with Cherelle on Wednesday “to reassure her that [Biden] is working to secure Brittney’s release as soon as possible.” Biden also read a letter that he is sending to Brittney and offered his support to their family.
Cherelle released her own statement about the meeting and while she said that she will “remain concerned and outspoken,” she was “grateful to [Biden and Harris] for the time they spent with me and for the commitment they expressed to getting BG home.”
"While I will remain concerned and outspoken until she is back home, I am hopeful in knowing that the President read my wife’s letter and took the time to respond. I know BG will be able to find comfort in knowing she has not been forgotten." /2
— T.J. Quinn (@TJQuinnESPN) July 6, 2022
"Let’s continue to use our voices to speak the names of all the wrongfully detained Americans and support the Administration as they do what it takes to bring them home today." /x
— T.J. Quinn (@TJQuinnESPN) July 6, 2022
It remains to be seen what will happen. I’ve never had a loved one be imprisoned in another country so I don’t know what Cherelle is going through but she’s certainly going to keep up the discussion to bring Brittney home.