Nearly 10 months passed between Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner's arrest in Russia on charges of possessing hash oil and her return to the United States.
Over that span, Russia invaded Ukraine, Griner's release became a cause célèbre in the United States, and a Russian judge sentenced her to nine years in prison. She was transferred to a penal colony in November. Finally, on Dec. 8, Griner was released in a prisoner swap for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
Newly free, Griner boarded a plane for the United States last week. On CNN's State of the Union, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens discussed his conversation with Griner as she prepared to return to the United States.
"When she finally got on the plane, I said 'Brittney, you must've been through a lot over the last 10 months,'" Carstens said. "'Here's your seat. Please, feel free to decompress. We'll give you your space.’
"And she said to me, 'Oh no, I've been in prison for 10 months now listening to Russian. I want to talk.'"
Carstens said Griner proceeded to shake hands with every member of the crew sent to Russia to take her home.
"Later on, on an 18-hour flight, she probably spent 12 hours just talking," Carstens said. "We probably talked about everything under the sun. And I was left with the impression that this is an intelligent, passionate, compassionate, humble, interesting person, a patriotic person, but above all, authentic."
