While WNBA star Brittney Griner sits in a Russian prison waiting for the U.S. to make a deal with Russia that could bring her and former Marine Paul Whelan home to America, former Marine Trevor Reed shared insight into what it must be like for them, something he knows all too well as a former Russian prisoner.
Reed appeared on CBS Mornings on Tuesday to discuss Russian prison conditions and the “fake” legal system they employ. He noted that the facility where Griner is being held after being found guilty is “probably going to be significantly better than the forced labor camp” where Whelan is likely incarcerated.
As for the court system, he says that while the process might appear legitimate, everything about it is “fake.”
“While you’re there, you’re going to be meeting with lawyers, there’s a lot of waiting, you may be requesting expertise or trying to find new evidence in order to appeal the ruling of the previous court during that time, and that appeal could take years, basically,” he told CBS Mornings. “But in the end all of those appeals are fake, they’re as fake as the first trial you receive. All courts in Russia are fake.”
“Just hang in there, just know people are fighting for you,” Reed said. “Just know you have a lot of people supporting you back here at home and the highest levels of the U.S. government are attempting to get you out.
“So keep the faith.”