Brittney Griner's wife has revealed that she had the "most disturbing phone call" with the WNBA star since her arrest in Russia.
The 31-year-old Olympic gold medalist - who also played professionally in Russia - was arrested in February at a Moscow airport after police officers alleged that they found less than a gram of hash oil in vape cartridges.
Despite Griner claiming that she used cannabis for her chronic pain, the Russian legal system was unmoved and consequently sentenced to nine out of a possible 10 years in prison in August.
"You could hear that she was not okay. If you think about just a person's suffering and when they have suffered to a max…she was at the max that day," wife Cherelle Griner told CBS Mornings co-host, Gayle King.
Watch Cherelle's interview on CBS below:"I do believe a crime should warrant a punishment," Cherelle, who has been married to the basketballer since 2019, said in the interview. "But it must be balanced… B.G. has truly suffered beyond her crime already."
The wife also told the co-host that she is extremely worried about the possibility of the athlete being sent to a labor camp if her appeal is denied.
"Once that hearing is held, and the order is finalized, B.G.'s now in the position where she could be moved to a labor camp," Cherelle said, adding, "My brain can't even fathom it."
In addition to this, the situation is problematized due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. According to Cherelle, it has left Griner feeling like a political pawn.
"She's, like, saying things to me like, 'My life just don't even matter no more,'' she said. "You know, 'I feel like my life just doesn't matter. Like, I'm just being tossed around, like, for people's enjoyment and gain."
"Those are all valid emotions to feel and I don't have answers for [them] except the fact that your life matters to me, and I wanna get you back home," she continued.
"I'm gonna continue to pray every day that, you know, the people that are the decision-makers in this situation will have mercy and will sit down, and they will, too, see that your life matters, and do whatever they can to agree - on terms," Cherelle added.
She has only spoken with the WBNA all-star twice since February, with the pair having two calls and one leaving Cherelle feeling distressed and in tears for days.
"I think I cried for about two, three days straight," Cherelle told King. "It was the most disturbing phone call I'd ever experienced. It's just the most still, I think, moment I've just ever shared with my wife. I didn't have words."
Despite it all, the courageous wife remains optimistic that the political strains between Russia and the United States could lead to a prisoner swap that allows Griner to return home and reunite with her partner.
Furthermore, Cherelle had a meeting with President Joe Biden last month and was reassured by him that he is still pushing for a solution to the dire situation.
"He's doing what he can," she said. "But there's another party in this situation, and we also are dealing with the need for Russia to have mercy on B.G. as well."
Griner will remain in a Russian prison ahead of an appeal hearing on October 25.
