Griner pleads guilty to drug smuggling charges in Russia

Jailed American basketball star Brittney Griner reportedly pleaded guilty to drug smuggling charges in Russia.

Academy for Justice Deputy Director Valena Beety spoke with Fox 10 AZ AM’s Syleste Rodriguez and Ty Brennan about the start of Phoenix Mercury player Brittney Griner’s trial in Russia.

Brittney Griner’s court case began Friday, as legal experts speak out.

“This case was a confluence of faulty forensic evidence — bogus bite mark evidence — homophobia, stereotypes about drug use, and bias against substance use disorders, which all converged together to lead to these wrongful convictions,” said Valena Beety, who represented Ms. Stubbs in her post-conviction litigation.

Story by Ashley Oddo; What is a crime of violence and does it include attempted robbery under the federal Hobbs Act? In a 7-2 decision, the Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that attempted Hobbs act robbery does not qualify as a crime of violence.

After working as a Rape Victim Advocate, I knew that I wanted to become a prosecutor. I saw how violence impacts survivors. I wanted to end the cycles of violence and stop the perpetrators. I thought prison was the answer, and that I could be a protector.

We might see another innocent person executed. We like to think that there aren’t any innocent people on death row. But there are.

Story by Sydney Plaskett; Reforms aimed at combatting corruption in U.S. policing should be focused on achieving “radical transparency,” says Michael Bromwich, former U.S. Department of Justice Inspector General who led an investigation of a Baltimore police scandal.