US Politics | Brittney Griner case to set ‘dangerous precedent because inmate swap with Russia is like negotiating with hostage taker’
IMPRISONING a US Marine in a Russian jail while parading a WNBA star through a ...sham... trial in Moscow are ...strategic... political moves as America negotiates a potential prisoner exchange, experts said. Women's basketball star Brittney Griner, who was arrested at a Russian airport earlier this year for allegedly carrying cannabis oil, was back in court Tuesday. 
WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner is escorted to a courtroom for a hearing, in Khimki just outside Moscow on August 2AP:Associated Press 
Paul Whelan, a former US marine accused of espionage and arrested in Russia in December 2018, stands inside a defendant's cage as he waits to hear his verdict in Moscow on June 15, 2020AP:Associated Press 
Viktor Bout \- who's nicknamed the ...merchant of death' \- was convicted in 2011 and is serving a 25-year prison sentence for conspiracy to kill US citizensReuters The other Russian prisoner \- former Marine Paul Whelan \- has been behind bars since 2018 for ...espionage.... The White House has reportedly been working on a deal to free the two US citizens in an exchange for Russian Victor Bout, who's nicknamed the ...merchant of death.... Bout is a ...dangerous criminal... who's been convicted with due process through the American judicial system, according to Duncan Levin, a prominent defense lawyer and former prosecutor. ...A prisoner swap with Russia is like negotiating with a hostage taker,... Levin warned. ...This is an international relations dance rather than something that is playing out in the court.... Bout was convicted in a US federal court in 2011 and is serving a 25-year prison sentence for conspiracy to kill US citizens and officials. ...I'm sure Russian officials had some strategic reasoning behind why they took Brittney hostage,... Amani Wells-Onyioha, a political expert and civil rights advocate, told The Sun. ...Once they revealed they were looking for a trade, the evidence was clear this was something planned preconceived plan in place.... RUSSIA-US STORIES 
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NEW DEAL Huge update as US offers release of Russian arms dealer to free Brittney Griner US officials have said Griner and Whelan are illegally detained in Russia as political prisoners. Both experts are concerned that an exchange will set a dangerous precedent that will embolden Russia \- and other enemies of the US \- to illegally arrest more American. Most read in The US Sun GROWING UP Khloe Kardashian's ex Tristan Thompson's baby mama shares rare photo of son Theo 'WORST CASE SCENARIO' Pelosi 'may spark potential WW3 if China harms her on Taiwan trip' FOOD FAIL Aldi fans upset after easy dinner favorite more than doubles in price MORE MONEY Millions of Americans to get direct payments up to $1,050 - see the exact dates cash in hand Direct payments up to $300 out next month - find out how much you're due 'READY FOR WAR' China vows to 'fight to death' & masses tanks on beaches for Taiwan strike ...This could possibly set a precedent that other countries can start holding US citizens for very small crimes in exchange to get what they want,... Wells-Onyioha said. ...At the same time, this shouldn't discourage American leadership from rescuing its citizens.... That's the dilemma facing the White House. BACK IN COURT Griner was back in court Tuesday but Levin said it's more of a show of some semblance of due process than anything ahead of a potential prisoner swap. Calling it a prisoner ...swap is misleading,... Levin said. ...A swap is when you're trading one equal thing for another equal thing,... the former federal prosecutor said. ...But Bout has been convicted in the United States of extremely serious offenses versus Brittney Griner, who allegedly had some marijuana vape cartridges in her bag. ...She was thrown into a system where she was not apprised of her rights and had no due process.... There's ...no playbook... for this prison exchange, so there's no time period for when \- or if \- it will get done, Levin said. KREMLIN ...DOESN'T SEEM TO CARE' The Kremlin appears to most of the world as the villain in this situation. The same could be said for its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. ...They don't seem to care because their expansion plans are more important to them than the means by which they obtain that power,... Wells-Onyioha said. ...We may see more situations from them like this in the future to further other agendas.... ANTHONY BLINKEN'S COMMENTS The tense negotiations will be the first time the countries have spoken since Russian invaded Ukraine in late February. Read More on The US Sun 
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blame game Today's Hoda admits she's in constant 'fear of being fired' because of Savannah "We put a substantial proposal on the table weeks ago to facilitate their release," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said this week. Blinken added that he plans to speak with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to bring up the proposal.
WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner is escorted to a courtroom for a hearing, in Khimki just outside Moscow on August 2AP:Associated Press Paul Whelan, a former US marine accused of espionage and arrested in Russia in December 2018, stands inside a defendant's cage as he waits to hear his verdict in Moscow on June 15, 2020AP:Associated Press Viktor Bout \- who's nicknamed the ...merchant of death' \- was convicted in 2011 and is serving a 25-year prison sentence for conspiracy to kill US citizensReuters The other Russian prisoner \- former Marine Paul Whelan \- has been behind bars since 2018 for ...espionage.... The White House has reportedly been working on a deal to free the two US citizens in an exchange for Russian Victor Bout, who's nicknamed the ...merchant of death.... Bout is a ...dangerous criminal... who's been convicted with due process through the American judicial system, according to Duncan Levin, a prominent defense lawyer and former prosecutor. ...A prisoner swap with Russia is like negotiating with a hostage taker,... Levin warned. ...This is an international relations dance rather than something that is playing out in the court.... Bout was convicted in a US federal court in 2011 and is serving a 25-year prison sentence for conspiracy to kill US citizens and officials. ...I'm sure Russian officials had some strategic reasoning behind why they took Brittney hostage,... Amani Wells-Onyioha, a political expert and civil rights advocate, told The Sun. ...Once they revealed they were looking for a trade, the evidence was clear this was something planned preconceived plan in place.... RUSSIA-US STORIES NYET BOTHERED Piers' brilliant reaction as he & Sun war reporter are BANNED from Russia NEW DEAL Huge update as US offers release of Russian arms dealer to free Brittney Griner US officials have said Griner and Whelan are illegally detained in Russia as political prisoners. Both experts are concerned that an exchange will set a dangerous precedent that will embolden Russia \- and other enemies of the US \- to illegally arrest more American. Most read in The US Sun GROWING UP Khloe Kardashian's ex Tristan Thompson's baby mama shares rare photo of son Theo 'WORST CASE SCENARIO' Pelosi 'may spark potential WW3 if China harms her on Taiwan trip' FOOD FAIL Aldi fans upset after easy dinner favorite more than doubles in price MORE MONEY Millions of Americans to get direct payments up to $1,050 - see the exact dates cash in hand Direct payments up to $300 out next month - find out how much you're due 'READY FOR WAR' China vows to 'fight to death' & masses tanks on beaches for Taiwan strike ...This could possibly set a precedent that other countries can start holding US citizens for very small crimes in exchange to get what they want,... Wells-Onyioha said. ...At the same time, this shouldn't discourage American leadership from rescuing its citizens.... That's the dilemma facing the White House. BACK IN COURT Griner was back in court Tuesday but Levin said it's more of a show of some semblance of due process than anything ahead of a potential prisoner swap. Calling it a prisoner ...swap is misleading,... Levin said. ...A swap is when you're trading one equal thing for another equal thing,... the former federal prosecutor said. ...But Bout has been convicted in the United States of extremely serious offenses versus Brittney Griner, who allegedly had some marijuana vape cartridges in her bag. ...She was thrown into a system where she was not apprised of her rights and had no due process.... There's ...no playbook... for this prison exchange, so there's no time period for when \- or if \- it will get done, Levin said. KREMLIN ...DOESN'T SEEM TO CARE' The Kremlin appears to most of the world as the villain in this situation. The same could be said for its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. ...They don't seem to care because their expansion plans are more important to them than the means by which they obtain that power,... Wells-Onyioha said. ...We may see more situations from them like this in the future to further other agendas.... ANTHONY BLINKEN'S COMMENTS The tense negotiations will be the first time the countries have spoken since Russian invaded Ukraine in late February. Read More on The US Sun LOTT OF CHANGES We won the $61M lotto - we have some great advice for the $1.34B winner blame game Today's Hoda admits she's in constant 'fear of being fired' because of Savannah "We put a substantial proposal on the table weeks ago to facilitate their release," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said this week. Blinken added that he plans to speak with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to bring up the proposal.
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