Brittney Griner

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Viktor Bout, center, is led by armed Thai police commandoes as he arrives at the criminal court in Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2010. The Russian arms dealer who once inspired a Hollywood movie is back in the headlines with speculation around a return to Moscow in a prisoner exchange for U.S. WBNA star Brittney Griner and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan. (AP Photo/Apichart Weerawong, File)

Reviled and revered Russian arms dealer is back in spotlight

By Jim Heintz and Larry Neumeister - Associated Press

WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner is escorted to a courtroom for a hearing, in Khimki outside Moscow, Russia, Thursday, July 7, 2022. Griner on Thursday pleaded guilty to drug possession and smuggling during her trial in Moscow but said she had no intention of committing a crime, Russian news agencies reported. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

WNBA’s Griner heads back to Russian court after guilty plea

Associated Press

Lawyers of WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner Alexander Boykov, left, and Maria Blagovolina walk to attend a hearing on their client's case in Khimki district court, just outside Moscow, Russia, Thursday, July 14, 2022. (AP Photo/Dmitry Serebryakov)

Witnesses testify at trial for Griner’s character

By Jim Heintz - Associated Press

WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner is escorted to a courtroom for a hearing, in Khimki just outside Moscow, Russia, Thursday, July 7, 2022. Griner pleaded guilty Thursday to drug possession charges on the second day of her trial in a Russian court in a case that could see her sentenced to up to 10 years in prison. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) **FILE**

James critical of U.S. efforts to get Griner home

By Doug Feinberg - Associated Press

Signs are displayed during a practice for the WNBA All-Star basketball game in Chicago, Saturday, July 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Brittney Griner is the focus of WNBA All-Star weekend

By Jay Cohen - Associated Press

Griner may now regret kneeling

THE WASHINGTON TIMES

Elizabeth Whelan, sister of U.S. Marine Corps veteran and Russian prisoner Paul Whelan, speaks at a news conference alongside families of Americans currently being held hostage or wrongfully detained overseas in Lafayette Park near the White House, May 4, 2022, in Washington. President Joe Biden spoke by phone July 8 with Elizabeth Whelan according to the White House. Biden's phone call came after Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke earlier this week to the wife of WNBA star Brittney Griner, who has been held for more than four months in Russia. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

Biden speaks with sister of Marine jailed in Russia after accusations he’s ignoring their plight

By Joseph Clark - The Washington Times

WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner is escorted to a courtroom for a hearing, in Khimki outside Moscow, Russia, Thursday, July 7, 2022. Griner on Thursday pleaded guilty to drug possession and smuggling during her trial in Moscow but said she had no intention of committing a crime, Russian news agencies reported. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Guilty plea from Brittney Griner in Russian court

By Tom Howell Jr. and Jeff Mordock - The Washington Times

WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner is escorted to a courtroom for a hearing, in Khimki just outside Moscow, Russia, Friday, July 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Biden tells Griner’s wife he’s working to get her home

By Darlene Superville - Associated Press

WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner is escorted to a courtroom for a hearing, in Khimki just outside Moscow, Russia, Friday, July 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Biden speaks with wife of WNBA star facing drug charges in Russia

By Joseph Clark - The Washington Times

WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner is escorted to a courtroom for a hearing, in Khimki just outside Moscow, Russia, Friday, July 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

WNBA star Brittney Griner sends letter to Biden pleading for her release

By Tom Howell Jr. - The Washington Times

WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner is escorted to a courtroom for a hearing, in Khimki just outside Moscow, Russia, Friday, July 1, 2022. U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner is set to go on trial in a Moscow-area court Friday. The proceedings that are scheduled to begin Friday come about 4 1/2 months after she was arrested on cannabis possession charges at an airport while traveling to play for a Russian team. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) **FILE**

White House: Biden has read Griner letter pleading for help

By Doug Feinberg - Associated Press

WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner is escorted to a courtroom for a hearing, in Khimki just outside Moscow, Russia, Friday, July 1, 2022. U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner is set to go on trial in a Moscow-area court Friday. The proceedings that are scheduled to begin Friday come about 4 1/2 months after she was arrested on cannabis possession charges at an airport while traveling to play for a Russian team. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) **FILE**

Griner sends letter to Biden pleading for his help

By Doug Feinberg - Associated Press

WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner is escorted to a courtroom for a hearing, in Khimki just outside Moscow, Russia, Friday, July 1, 2022. U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner is set to go on trial in a Moscow-area court Friday. The proceedings that are scheduled to begin Friday come about 4 1/2 months after she was arrested on cannabis possession charges at an airport while traveling to play for a Russian team. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Trial for WNBA star Brittney Griner begins in Russian court

By Jim Heintz - Associated Press

In this file photo, WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner is escorted to a courtroom for a hearing, in Khimki just outside Moscow, Russia, Monday, June 27, 2022. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) **FILE**

Pressure on Biden to free WNBA star triggers talk of prisoner swap for Russian arms dealer

By Susan Ferrechio - The Washington Times

WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner is escorted to a courtroom for a hearing, in Khimki just outside Moscow, Russia, Monday, June 27, 2022. More than four months after she was arrested at a Moscow airport for cannabis possession, American basketball star Griner is to appear in court Monday for a preliminary hearing ahead of her trial. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

WNBA star Brittney Griner ordered to trial Friday in Russia

By Jim Heintz - Associated Press

Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner is shown during the first half of Game 2 of basketball's WNBA Finals against the Chicago Sky, Oct. 13, 2021, in Phoenix. Griner, a seven-time WNBA All-Star who plays for the Phoenix Mercury, was detained at a Russian airport on February 17 after authorities there said a search of her bag revealed vape cartridges containing cannabis oil. Griner's wife, Cherelle Griner, has not heard the WNBA star's voice even once in the four months since her arrest in Moscow. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri, File) **FILE**

Wife of WNBA’s Brittney Griner says scheduled call from Russian embassy never happened

By Eric Tucker and Doug Feinberg - Associated Press

Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner during the first half of Game 2 of basketball's WNBA Finals against the Chicago Sky, Oct. 13, 2021, in Phoenix. Brittney Griner is easily the most prominent American locked up by a foreign country. But the WNBA star’s case is tangled up with that of another prisoner few Americans have ever heard of. Paul Whelan has been held in Russia since his December 2018 arrest on espionage charges he and the U.S. government say are false. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri, File) **FILE**

Griner’s Russia detention extended for third time

Associated Press

Phoenix Mercury's Brittney Griner (42) is congratulated on a play against the Seattle Storm in the first half of the second round of the WNBA basketball playoffs Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021, in Everett, Wash. Brittney Griner has been able to receive emails and letters from WNBA players to an account Griner’s agent set up to allow them to communicate with her. The emails are printed out and delivered sporadically in bunches to Griner by her lawyers after being vetted by Russian officials. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File) **FILE**

State Department officials meet with Griner’s WNBA team

Associated Press

WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner leaves a courtroom after a hearing, in Khimki just outside Moscow, May 13, 2022. Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, was detained at the Moscow airport in February after vape cartridges containing oil derived from cannabis were allegedly found in her luggage, which could carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, File)

Griner’s fate tangled up with other American held in Russia

By Eric Tucker - Associated Press