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Brittney Griner, 9 Years For a Gram Of Cannabis Oil? …”STRAIGHT PORK!”

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Brittney Griner, an NBA star in the United States, was found guilty of drug possession and given a nine-year prison sentence on Thursday in Russia, following a politically charged trial that took place amid escalating tensions between Moscow and Washington over Ukraine and could result in a high-stakes prisoner exchange between the two world powers.

Two-time U.S. Olympic champion and eight-time WNBA all-star Brittney Griner (now 31) listened blankly as an interpreter relayed Judge Anna Sotnikova’s verdict. The judge also imposed a fine of 1 million rubles, which is almost $16,000.

“I never meant to hurt anybody to put in jeopardy the Russian population or violate any Russian laws. I made an honest mistake and I hope that your ruling, that it doesn’t end my life here,” Griner told the court earlier Thursday, apologizing to her family, her teammates, her fans, and the Russian people.

“I know everybody keeps talking about political pawn and politics, but I hope that that is far from this courtroom… I hope you take into account all the documents, all the character lists that everybody has sent in on my behalf… This is my second home, and all I wanted to do was just win championships and make them proud,” she said.

US Vice President Joe Biden has called the judgement and sentence “unacceptable.”

Vice President Joe Biden said, “I call on Russia to release her immediately so she can be with her wife, loved ones, friends, and teammates,” Biden said, adding that he would continue to work to bring home Griner and Paul Whelan, an American imprisoned in Russia on an espionage conviction.

After the verdict was read, Griner told reporters, “I love my family.” Her attorneys claimed she was so distressed she could not speak due to her emotional state.

Even though he knew he was going to prison, Griner made a tearful plea for mercy to the judge earlier in the hearing. According to her, she had no intention of breaking the law by carrying cannabis oil vape cartridges with her when she traveled to Moscow in February to play basketball in the city of Yekaterinburg.

Griner, her voice breaking, said “I want to apologize to my teammates, my club, my fans and the city of (Yekaterinburg) for my mistake that I made and the embarrassment that I brought on them,” Griner said, her voice cracking. “I want to also apologize to my parents, my siblings, the Phoenix Mercury organization back at home, the amazing women of the WNBA, and my amazing spouse back at home.”

The maximum sentence for 31-year-old Griner under Russian law is 10 years in prison, but judges have wide discretion in handing out sentences.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken proposed a high-stakes prisoner swap to his Russian counterpart last week, and if she is not released, all eyes will be on that option.

The city of Yekaterinburg, located east of the Ural Mountains, has become what Griner called her “second home.”

She added, “”I had no idea that the team, the cities, the fans, my teammates would make such a great impression on me over the 6 1/2 years that I spent here,” she said. “I remember vividly coming out of the gym and all the little girls that were in the stands there waiting on me, and that’s what kept making me come back here.”

According to prosecutor Nikolai Vlasenko, Griner knowingly packaged the cannabis oil, therefore in addition to the prison time, he should pay a fine of 1 million rubles (about $16,700).

Griner’s legal team has been trying to back up the Phoenix Mercury center and two-time Olympic gold medalist’s claim that the canisters were accidentally packed into her suitcase and that she had no criminal intent. Character witnesses from the team she plays for in Yekaterinburg during the WNBA offseason were given, as was the written testimony of a doctor who claimed to have prescribed cannabis to relieve the pain associated with her basketball-related ailments.

Griner’s attorney, Maria Blagovolina, claimed that her client only smoked pot in Arizona, where medical marijuana is authorized.

She stressed Griner’s hasty packing as a result of her exhaustion from the travel and the effects of COVID-19. Blagovolina also mentioned that the marijuana found in Griner’s possession had been improperly analyzed.

Blagovolina argued that Griner should be released from custody because of her positive contributions to “the growth of Russian basketball” and the fact that she had no prior criminal record.

In his defense, Alexander Boykov stressed Griner’s role in leading her Yekaterinburg squad to several championships and how much her teammates looked up to her. He warned the judge that a conviction would make Moscow’s desire to depoliticize sports appear hollow and would hurt Russia’s efforts to build national sports.

After her imprisonment, Boykov said, Griner still managed to win over the hearts of the jail’s guards and inmates. They showed their support for her by cheering, “Brittney, everything will be OK!” whenever she took a stroll around the facility.

When her trial was about to begin in July, the State Department declared that she had been “wrongfully held,” and her case was transferred to the supervision of the special presidential envoy for hostage problems, who is essentially the government’s senior hostage negotiator.

Then, last week, Blinken made a bold move by contacting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to urge him to accept a settlement that would set Griner and Whelan free.

Since Russia sent soldiers into Ukraine over five months ago, the call between Lavrov and Blinken was the highest-level known interaction between Washington and Moscow. The United States has been making an effort to isolate the Kremlin, so this direct approach over Griner is at odds with that goal.

According to those involved with the plan, it calls for exchanging Griner and Whelan for Viktor Bout, a prominent arms dealer currently spending time in a U.S. prison. The White House has been under intense public pressure to free Griner, and this further illustrates that pressure.

Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, said on Monday that the United States does not take Russia’s counteroffer seriously since it was offered in “poor faith.” She would not give any more details.

The Russian government has dismissed U.S. claims regarding the issue as “disrespectful” of Russian law. They kept their poker faces on while asking the U.S. capital to approach the matter with “quiet diplomacy without leaks of speculative material.”

Griner, a WNBA player, expressed her fear that she could be imprisoned “forever” in Russia in a letter she hand-delivered to the White House last month.

Cherelle Griner, Griner’s wife, said on CBS Mornings that she could feel the fear that Griner was experiencing. 

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ISTHATPORKS TAKE:

We all know why she got sentenced this high. It's straight political. It's a HAM SANDWICH. IT'S A SMOTHERED PORK CHOP. She got caught up in the PORK of two countries and has to suffer the consequences till further notice. If anyone remembers SUPERMAN II with Christopher Reed, there was a scene in which the president was talking to the civilians about General Zod. That comes to mind here when he said " SUPERMAN CAN YOU HEAR ME?". He was in fact, employing SUPERMAN to do something. That obviously is the many people in America talking to president Biden today. So Biden, can you hear us? Brittney needs to come home. Anything else is PORK!

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Ben Gordon arrested for hitting son at airport? … SAY WHAT!?

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Ex-NBA star Ben Gordon (Image source- YouTube/Stunted Growth) .png

Ben Gordon, a former NBA player for the Chicago Bulls, was detained at New York’s LaGuardia Airport on charges of assault on his 10-year-old son.

No information on where, how hard, or how many times Gordon struck the pre-teen was revealed by the New York Post. However, the boy’s aunt drove him to the Long Island Jewish Hospital for medical attention.

The New York police arrested Gordon, age 39, at the Queens airport. There has been no further disclosure of details surrounding the arrest.

The former point guard for the University of Connecticut had a run-in with the law.

He was caught in Harlem, New York, in November 2017 driving a Mercedes G-Class SUV with fraudulent Florida license plates and received 10 hours of community service as a result.

At the same year, he was jailed for allegedly pulling fire alarms and acting erratically in an apartment complex. Several months later, he was brought to jail on charges of manhandling an apartment-dwelling man.

Gordon has a well-documented history of mental health issues. According to our sources, Gordon admitted to having suicidal thoughts but eventually sought therapy for his problem.

On a more positive not Gordon was a celebrated college and NBA player. He would go on to become an NBA superstar. He went on to average 15 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game in his 11-year NBA career.

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NBA player shot and murdered in Florida

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note; this is a story that took place in May. We wanted to publish it to show respect to Adreian Payne and also give light to the PORK of gun violence.

A former NBA player apparently passed away on May 9 in Orlando, and state officials in Florida have confirmed his death.

Adreian Payne, 31, was discovered by deputies at 1:30 a.m. with gunshot wounds. WESH says the suspect is 29-year-old Lawrence Dority.

Dority did not flee the scene and was taken to the local headquarters, where he was questioned by homicide detectives and ultimately arrested for first-degree murder.

Payne was a standout player for Michigan State from 2010 to 2012 and even competed in the 2014 NCAA Dunk Contest. After hearing of Payne’s death, Green posted a series of sad emojis.

Payne was well-liked by the Michigan State community and gained notoriety for his friendship with cancer patient Lacey Holsworth. In April of 2014, months before the NBA Draft, Holsworth tragically lost her life at the age of 8. Payne wore a suit to the draft lottery that paid homage to Holsworth. He was the fifteenth overall pick by the Atlanta Hawks, and he later played for the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Orlando Magic. He devoted his final years to performing in foreign countries.

Payne’s character is seen below;

Draymond Green let his emotions be felt with a simple broken heart emoji

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Marshawn Lynch arrested

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Marshawn Lynch, a former star for the Seattle Seahawks, was arrested early Tuesday morning on the Las Vegas Strip. According to the police report, Lynch was sleeping in the driver’s seat of a 2020 Shelby GT500.

According to a Las Vegas police report made public on Thursday, while being questioned by officers, Lynch “would speak and then fall back asleep multiple times throughout the conversation.”

Bloodshot, watery eyes and a strong stench of an alcoholic beverage were also noted by the police officer.

During his interview with police, Lynch stated that he “was not drinking and he does not do drugs, but that he stole the automobile.” The report states that he was only wearing one shoe at the time.

The front driver’s side tire was flat, and the rear driver’s wheel was “ready to fall off,” therefore the vehicle was in “undriveable condition,” as stated in the police report.

Police discovered tire treads and road lines “indicating car hit the sidewalk sections.”

Lynch was arrested for drunk driving and brought to the Las Vegas City Jail.

The police got a warrant to conduct a search in order to collect a blood specimen. Lynch was “not cooperative or eager to comply,” and cops used a “restraint chair to force a blood draw,” as stated in the incident report.

Richard A. Schonfeld and David Z. Chesnoff, Lynch’s attorneys, sent a statement  reading, “Marshawn was not pulled over for a DUI. Instead, the car was parked in a secure location and not in use. When all the facts are in, we’re positive this won’t be considered a DUI under Nevada law. Marshawn recognizes the value of the kind wishes of his friends and family and is appreciative of the help they have provided.

Lynch, 36, had been one of the most beloved Seahawks of the past decade, and he will be leaving the team after the 2019 season. He finished his NFL career with 10,413 yards rushing and 85 touchdowns.

The Seahawks had just announced that he would be joining their broadcast team as a special correspondent and that he would be responsible for “producing innovative material for a variety of projects” when he was arrested the next day.

Full video of the arrest below;

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