The family of a Detroit native and former Canadian Football League player is hoping for word soon on the outcome of his criminal trial in China.
Wendell Brown has been sitting in a Chinese jail since getting into a bar fight last September. He waited 10 months to get a trial. He's now awaiting the judge's verdict on his assault charge.
The specifics of Brown's case are nuanced, so it was expected by his family and friends that there would be some time before learning Wendell's fate.
Antoinette Brown is Wendell's mom. She spoke with her son's attorney after the trial.
"I know the Chinese legal system takes a longer time and I pray that they take the time that they need and can send him home," Antoinette Brown said.
She says according to Wendell's attorney, several people showed up to the trial to support her son.
"Different people from different parts of China were there to support him, and he was really grateful for that," she said.
It's unclear when the Brown family can expect a verdict. Wendell Brown faces three to ten years in a Chinese prison if he's found guilty of assault.
