Prosecutor's office asks 9.5 years in colony for the American basketball player Griner

The prosecutor on Thursday requested 9.5 years in prison for American basketball player Brittney Griner, accused of smuggling hash oil, RIA Novosti correspondent reports from the Khimki courtroom.

“By partial addition, I finally ask you to appoint nine years and six months in prison with a sentence to be served in a general regime colony with a fine of one million rubles,” the state prosecutor said in his speech.

Griner pleaded guilty in court, but stressed that she had no intent to commit a crime, and she "collected the bag in a hurry." During the consideration of the case, it became known that a doctor from the state of Arizona prescribed marijuana to her instead of traditional painkillers due to the side effects of the latter.

According to American media, the United States is offering Russia to exchange Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan for Viktor Bout, but Moscow allegedly requested another prisoner. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, against the backdrop of reports from various publications in this regard, called on his American counterpart Anthony Blinken to "quiet diplomacy" rather than public discussion.

In February, Griner, who arrived on a flight from New York, was detained at Sheremetyevo Airport. During the inspection of the Americans woman, there were found vapes with a liquid with a specific smell in their hand luggage - the examination later determined that it was hash oil.

Investigators opened a criminal case on drug smuggling, Griner was imprisoned in a pre-trial detention center. She faces five to ten years in prison.