Just today, there was an article in the paper about her arguing that her “hasty packing” ought to be a mitigating factor or something. 
Then tonight, I had a discussion w/ an avid diver who was planning a trip to Myanmar. Don’t think I’d go, no matter how great the diving. But if I did, I damned well wouldn’t pack “hastily”!
I think the Russians wanted an American hostage and Brittney Griner was the highest-profile one they could get their hands on. If they hadn’t gotten her on the drug charge they would have accused her of espionage or something similar. But because of Griner’s empty casings with residue in them they had everything they needed to do exactly what the US has done millions of times over: throw a person of color in jail potentially forever on a bullshit weed charge. Can something be both crude and elegant at the same time? If so, it’s probably Russian.
So if a Russian citizen was accused of the same thing in Russia, what would be the usual treatment?
I want the US to emphatically and unambiguously represent US citizens when abroad. It doesn’t matter if the citizens are right or wrong or whether they should have known better. There should be no question in any other country’s mind that the US is behind its citizens.
If the US assessment is that the citizen is being treated unfairly (as they have for Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan, but not for Marc Fogel), then the US should pursue every avenue to resolve it.
Although the US has not made the offer, it debatable if trading Viktor Bout half-way through his sentence for Griner and Whelan is the right policy. It is hard to judge without knowing how dangerous Bout remains.
She is being charged with a more serious crime than she admits she broke. Her charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.
This link says Griner had ‘two cartridges containing 0.252 grams and 0.45 grams of hash oil’:
This link says a ‘large amount’ is 100g:
This link says Griner was charged with a ‘significant amount’:
Obviously these cites aren’t completely conclusive. I don’t think any of the authors are that familiar with Russian law.
It has made the offer:
I read that article. CNN’s source says the US made the offer. The US State Dept has said they made an offer, but have not confirmed that it involves Bout.
Maybe they have included Bout, but I didn’t want to assume it.
Wow. From CNN:
“Victor Bout, a former Soviet military officer, is currently serving a 25-year prison sentence in the United States on charges of conspiring to kill Americans, acquire and export anti-aircraft missiles, and provide material support to a terrorist organization.”
Sounds to me like the equivalent to a bit of harmless, mildly mind-altering, personal-use drug! NOT.
This makes me so mad. I actually hope the other American (Whelan) really did do something truly bad (I know nothing about him), so it’s a fair swap.
Curious, but today’s paper reported only that her doctor had “recommended” pot. That choice of language makes it sound somewhat short of prescribed medication. (Full disclosure - as a previous pothead and longtime supporter of legalization of all substances, I am somewhat dubious of many claims of pot’s medicinal value.).
Also, the Russian the US has in prison has served some 10 years of a 25 year sentence. So it isn’t as tho he is getting off scot free. Who knows how legitimate or politically motivated the US prosecution of that guy was… I have no knowledge of the facts concerning the other proposed US swap - Whelan?
Perhaps the US should make it an offense to stupidly cause the US to bail you out for misadventures abroad? Maybe at least suspend one’s passport. If someone has proven their irresponsibility traveling, perhaps the US should suspend it’s willingness to offer the umbrella of protections a passport signifies.
I don’t know where she’s from, but in many states now, you don’t need a prescription. So, all the doctor would do is “recommend.”
In some states, like Arkansas, you can’t actually get a prescription for pot. You can get a medical card that allows you to purchase marijuana, but your doctor cannot actually prescribe it.
Before Pennsylvania had medical marijuana (bless you, Tom Wolf), a friend’s dad was dying of cancer. He was miserable. His doctor told my friend to investigate marijuana as a palliative drug.
Long story short, I supplied him with a half ounce, a pipe, and a Bic lighter. The effect was miraculous. His mood improved, appetite improved, he was back to his old self.
When his supply was running low, I was consulted. The poor guy was worried he’d gone through it so fast. I pointed out to him that I had gone through more than he had and I was in good health. Marijuana made his last few months enjoyable.
If someone tells me they use cannabis because it helps with their xyz, it’s not my place to question them.
Why? Reed was in Russian custody for almost 3 years, Whelan for 3 1/2, Griner for 5 months, Fogel for almost a year and sentenced to 14 years labor. In a foreign jail, not sure if they are ever getting out. Do you think they have not been punished already?
Well what will be the long term result of doing these kinds of prisoner swaps? If in the future if the Russians want to get someone out of an American prison all they have to do is arrest and convict high profile Americans–and then propose a prisoner swap.
It’s the same reason the U.S. government doesn’t pay ransom to terrorists.
The judge who presided over his trial thinks it would be a good trade and that Bout’s original sentence was too long.
Bout has served 11 years in a federal prison, almost half of his 25-year sentence, and Scheindlin thinks that’s enough. In fact, she thought the sentence “was too high at the time.” Bout was convicted of conspiring to sell arms to the FARC, the Colombian guerilla group that the U.S. had designated as a terrorist organization. However, Bout himself “was not a terrorist in my opinion,” Scheindlin said—”he was a businessman.” But under U.S. law, 25 years was the minimum sentence for someone convicted of selling arms to terrorists, so she had no choice.
Now, though, she told the Times, “I think the United States’ interest in punishing him has been satisfied, and it would not be a bad equation to send him back if we get back these people who are important to us.”
Okay, thanks. I feel better now.
To correct the record, she stated that she brought it unknowingly and would never do so intentionally. I’m not sure whether to believe any of it… it’s possible that Russia planted it for their own advantage, and knowing how corrupt Russia’s justice system is, it’s not like she would be able to defend against it. This is Russia. Her best bet is to play along and not make things worse.
She isn’t charged with violating any American law, so no American is obligated to judge her or chastise her or have any opinion whatsoever about the offense. I don’t give a shit about Russian law, I care that an American is being treated in ways that we wouldn’t do in America. I’m so sorry you’re unhappy she’s not getting castigated in the media, but it’s simply unimportant.
Oh. A he/she joke? Real classy. Bye.
Thanks all for clearing up the terminology WRT pot rx, recommendations, medical cards, etc. I had thought there were some $ benefits to buying “medical” marijuana as opposed to recreational - but I never looked into it. And in the medical records I review regularly (most from IL) I never perceived a difference between a prescription/recommendation/medical card. And my possibly mistaken understanding was that it was generally less expensive to simply buy from a dealer instead of a dispensary.
It truly is a weird situation with pot legal in some states, but not recognized as such by the federal gov’t.
I do perceive that Griner proved herself to act irresponsibly in a manner that caused the US to incur considerable expense and to potentially feel it has to act in a manner it otherwise would not have - releasing a convicted arms dealer early. Seems to me that is sufficient to warrant at least a temporary suspension of passport privileges. Of course, I’m the sort of idiot who actually pays attention to what goes into my suitcases…
I’m also the kind of jerk who isn’t offended by the idea of charging at least some folk who need to be rescued from mountains and the like for at least a portion of the costs incurred. 
The he and she are the two Americans (He: Paul Whelan and She: Brittney Griner) that the US is working to get out of Russia. Good job not reading the thread you were responding to and assuming that another posting was acting like a jerk, then being one yourself.
Looked like an honest mistake to me. YMMV.