美国国家公共电台 NPR--A Russian court finds Brittney Griner guilty of drug possession

A Russian court finds Brittney Griner guilty of drug possession

Transcript¹

The widely expected verdict comes nearly six months after the WNBA star was arrested at a Moscow-area airport with cannabis vape cartridges² in her luggage.

A MART?NEZ, HOST:

Guilty - that is the verdict today delivered by a Russian judge in the drug possession trial of American basketball star Brittney Griner. The judge sentenced her to nine years in prison and fined her a million rubles. The prosecution³ was seeking a jail term of 9 1/2 years. Griner's lawyers argued for acquittal.

NPR's Charles Maynes is in the courthouse in Moscow. Charles - long trial in which Brittney Griner admitted carrying vape cartridges containing cannabis oil into Russia earlier this year. What's her reaction to the verdict?

CHARLES MAYNES, BYLINE⁴: Well, she was quite stone-faced when the verdict came down. She said she understood the charges. The judge asked her if she understood that she was able to appeal the decision, which she is. And - but fundamentally, though, we saw this day where she made her final statement to the court about an hour before the decision - about an hour and a half - excuse me - before this decision was handed down. And she said, don't take my life from me. I don't want to end up in a Russian prison. And that appears, for now anyway, to be her future for the - at least for the short term.

MART?NEZ: What did the judge say when the verdict was delivered?

MAYNES: Well, the judge really rejected all of the defense⁵ positions, saying that there were irregularities in how this - Griner was detained and also, for example, problems with the toxicology reports of these vape cartridges, essentially⁶ going with the main argument that Griner had confessed to bringing in these vape cartridges with some hashish oil - less than a gram - and that she knew well - full well the Russian law. She'd been traveling back and forth⁷ to Russia for over seven years to play in the Russian women's basketball league here. And therefore, she knew exactly what she was doing. And so she seemed to reject all of the arguments that we saw from the defense today, including this idea that Griner had done much for the country, for Russia itself, by promoting women's basketball, much as other foreigners had done in the past - to help build Russian cities, for building Russian industries.

MART?NEZ: You know, the Biden administration has said they've offered what they term a substantial proposal for Griner for release, as well as that of another American in custody⁸ in Russia. Where does that stand?

MAYNES: Well, that's the thing. From the beginning, we've known that, you know, most criminal cases in Russia - in fact, 99% of them - end in a conviction. So there's been this sense all along that this may go to some sort of political process. And Griner addressed that. She said she hoped that politics wouldn't play a role in the decision, but it seems like it will. You know, the White House has floated this idea of a possible prisoner swap⁹ involving Griner and perhaps American - former Marine¹⁰ Paul Whelan, who's also in jail here in Moscow on espionage¹¹ charges. Russia is looking for possibly two - or one or two Russian nationals in American jails. There's some names that get floated around, but we don't know at this point. Russia said, at least initially¹², that first of all, the trial had to complete itself - this Griner trial - before any real swapping¹³ could begin.

MART?NEZ: You mentioned that the judge gave Griner the option of appealing and that she is. So what happens now? What are some timetables?

MAYNES: Well, we don't really have a timetable yet. The - in fact, as I'm talking to you, I'm watching some of the lawyers step out of the courtroom. So we might get a better sense of that soon. But certainly, you'd have to imagine that she's eager to appeal. Or, you know, we might see something move forward on the political process here. So, again, as we have - we've always had the one case, which is a legal question about Brittney Griner - guilty or not - for bringing in these vape cartridges into Russia. And then we've also had the political process of Russia and the United States kind of going back and forth over a possible prisoner swap. And that seems to be where it's headed.

MART?NEZ: NPR's Charles Maynes in Moscow. Charles, thank you.

MAYNES: Thank you.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 cartridges   

子弹( cartridge的名词复数 )； （打印机的）墨盒； 录音带盒； （唱机的）唱头

参考例句：

• computer consumables such as disks and printer cartridges 如磁盘、打印机墨盒之类的电脑耗材
• My new video game player came with three game cartridges included. 我的新电子游戏机附有三盘游戏带。

3 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

4 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

5 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

6 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

7 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

8 custody   

n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留

参考例句：

• He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence.等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。
• He was taken into custody immediately after the robbery.抢劫案发生后，他立即被押了起来。

9 swap   

n.交换；vt.交换，用...作交易

参考例句：

• I will swap you my bicycle for your radio.我想拿我的自行车换你的收音机。
• This comic was a swap that I got from Nick.这本漫画书是我从尼克那里换来的。

10 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

11 espionage   

n.间谍行为，谍报活动

参考例句：

• The authorities have arrested several people suspected of espionage.官方已经逮捕了几个涉嫌从事间谍活动的人。
• Neither was there any hint of espionage in Hanley's early life.汉利的早期生活也毫无进行间谍活动的迹象。

12 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

13 swapping   

交换，交换技术

参考例句：

• The slow swapping and buying of horses went on. 马匹的买卖和交换就是这样慢慢地进行着。
• He was quite keen on swapping books with friends. 他非常热衷于和朋友们交换书籍。