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Charles Barkley Shares Thoughts on Brittney Griner’s Imprisonment in Russia

In an interview with People Magazine, NBA Hall of Famer and TV analyst Charles Barkley was asked for his opinion on Brittney Griner‘s current predicament.

“It’s a really sad and unfortunate situation,” he said. “I mean, to have this young woman in jail for months and months and months over some silly couple ounces of hashish oil, it’s just really sad. We hope she comes home soon.”

Griner currently faces up to 10 years in prison under the charge of “large-scale transportation of drugs.” The 31-year-old was arrested at Sheremetyevo International Airport on February 17 with vaporizer cartridges in her luggage.

Barkley joins podcast host Joe Rogan as another media member who has some empathy for Griner’s situation. Rogan chimed in last week and commented that the Russian government is making an example of Griner.

“It’s over nothing. She’s the clearest form of a political prisoner,” Rogan said. “It’s a publicity thing they’re showing their big d—. It’s like f— you, we’ll just keep your girl and lock her up in a cage, f— you.”

Charles Barkley’s Comments Come Day of New Developments in Brittney Griner’s Trial

In Brittney Griner’s latest appearance in court, her lawyers continued their defense from July 15. It was then when Griner first mentioned that she has a prescription for medical cannabis to treat a “chronic injury.” She had previously applied for – and received – a permit in the state of Arizona, but she did not have it at the time of her arrest.

“We are not arguing that Brittney took it here as a medicine. We are still saying that she involuntarily brought it here because she was in a rush,” attorney Alexander Boykov said after today’s session, via ESPN. “The Russian public – and the Russian court – has to know that it was not used for recreational purposes in the United States. It was prescribed by a doctor.”

During Tuesday’s trial proceedings, a Russian neuropsychologist testified about the use of medicinal cannabis. It is far more common in the United States – and worldwide – than it is in Russia.