Detroit woman asks trump to help free son from china jail

* ANTOINETTE BROWN IS HOPING THE PRESIDENT WILL USE HIS INFLUENCE WITH BEIJING TO HELP FREE WENDELL BROWN  * BROWN, 30, HAS BEEN IN A CHINESE JAIL FOR OVER A YEAR AFTER A PHYSICAL

ALTERCATION WITH LOCALS AT A BAR IN THE TOWN OF CHONGQING  * ANTOINETTE BROWN HOPES TRUMP COULD DO FOR HER SON WHAT HE DID FOR THREE UCLA BASKETBALL PLAYERS CAUGHT SHOPLIFTING IN HANGZHOU *

IF CONVICTED, BROWN COULD SPEND BETWEEN THREE AND 10 YEARS IN PRISON By ARIEL ZILBER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 10:49 EDT, 16 November 2017 | Updated: 12:20 EDT, 16 November 2017 The

mother of a former college and Canadian Football league player, who has been in a Chinese jail for over a year, has pleaded with President Trump to help secure his release. Antoinette Brown

is hoping the president will use his influence with Beijing to help free Wendell Brown, who has been behind bars since getting into a bar fight in the town of Chongqing last year. She has

reached out after Trump arranged the release of three UCLA basketball players who were caught shoplifting sunglasses in Hangzhou. Mrs Brown has also said she would be willing to give him

full credit, and would thank him over and over.  The UCLA players – Cody Riley, LiAngelo Ball, and Jalen Hill – thanked the president on Wednesday after he helped spare them a 10-year jail

sentence.  Now, Mre Brown wants Trump to do the same for her 30-year-old son.  ‘I’ll thank him,’ Antoinette Brown told Yahoo! Sports.  'If Trump helps us, if he helps Wendell, I won’t

stop thanking him. ‘He helped get three basketball players who were guilty get out. ‘I pray he’ll help get my innocent son out. And if he does, I’ll thank him and thank him and thank him.’

Brown is a Detroit native who was a high school football star that went on to play for Ball State in Indiana. After playing professionally in the Canadian Football League and in an American

arena league, he moved to China in 2015. He relocated to Chongqing, a city in the southwest part of the country.  There, he played for and then coached a team in the American Football League

of China. Brown also taught English and opened a cross training business to supplement his income. But his life in China tuned upside down on September 24, 2016, when he attended a friend’s

birthday party at a bar. Brown has claimed that many of the locals thought he was rich because he is black and has a large frame.  They insisted on having a drink with him, but Brown

declined the invitation. The locals then became angry, according to Yahoo! Sports. This led to a dispute. Police would arrest Brown for allegedly hitting a man and causing him to lose an

eye. Brown, however, insists he was simply trying to protect himself from bottles that were being hurled in his direction. For days, Brown did not call or text his family in Detroit, who

grew worried. Finally, days after his arrest, a friend who was living in China called and explained what happened. The family hired a lawyer in China to help with the case. They were told

that in order to win their son’s release they would need $100,000 as restitution. Antoinette Brown is a hairstylist and her husband of 17 years Travon King is a barber. There was no way they

could afford it.  For the past 14 months, he has been jailed in the Chongqing Jiangbei detention center. If convicted he could spend between three and 10 years in prison. In trial

proceedings, Brown’s friends say that surveillance video from the bar corroborated Brown’s story – that he did not throw a bottle at anyone and he was simply defending himself. During trial,

it was also learned that the man with the eye injury sustained the injury in a previous incident. In July, Brown reportedly testified in his own defense and was credible. There is still no

word as to when – or if – a verdict will be announced. The family says it has been in contact with US diplomatic officials in China as well as with Michigan’s two senators, Debbie Stabenow

and Gary Peters. LETTER FROM WENDELL BROWN TO FAMILY FROM MARCH 1, 2017 'To all my family whom I love throughout the continents of Asia, Europe, and North America: honor, praise, and

glory to the most high (yah?), through Yahshua Messiah for blessing me with such a beautiful band of people whom I can lean on in order to regain both focus and strength.  'I thank you

for all that you are doing for me while I fight the toughest fight of my life!  'I know this battle is not physical, but spiritual, and I also know I’m not just fighting for myself and

my family, but a multitude of people, and I’m more than grateful because you all have extended yourselves to be my crutch!  'Again, I thank you! I miss y’all so much. 'What keeps

me encouraged are all the memories we’ve been blessed to share with each other.  'The thought of us building more, and those that are even more beautiful got me fist pumping, like

Arsenio!  'For real, I’m excited!  'But, some days I wake up and look around like wtf bro, you really in jail!  'And in China! And, no, Wendell didn’t go to China and try to

turn thug!  'But being in here, in isolation, away from those I care for and who care for me, I think of all (0f) life’s luxuries that, to us, may not even be considered a luxury, like

lotion, a comb, hot showers, a toilet, going outside, or even seeing and being around smiles and eyes that you know are pure and have no deceit behind them! 'I think of so may things

I’ve been blessed with my whole life that I’ve simply taken for granted.  'I’ve also been thinking about my life and where it’s been, where it’s heading, what mark do I truly want to

leave, what defines me, what will the legacy of Wendell Brown Sr., actually be?  'And plainly, I just want to give; I want to give all things to my people.  'I want to give love,

life, laughter, opportunity, experience and so much more! 'And when I say my people, I don’t just speak of my family and friends, but all children!  'All those I’ve encountered in

my travels around the world, along with fulfilling my destiny, and life’s purpose, are two things I often pray for!  'I just want the right, you know? 'I don’t want to miss it or

come up short, but (yah?) willing, I won’t.  'I know I won’t! Hallellyah.  'I think of those in the bible who stood firm in their faith, and what came to be of them after their

test.  'Since I know his ways, (his) thoughts are higher than mine.  'I know the road ahead is full of blessings, and not just for me, but for us! 'Halleluyah! And because I

know the most high possesses so much power, and I know his spirit is living within out physical being, I’m convinced we are already victorious, and in more ways than one! Halleluyah! 'I

want to say so much more, but this letter is already pushing it.  'So again, thank you to all of you!  'Please continue to pray and send me your positive energy, and I will

continue to do the same for you in return!  'I love you all to life! Grace, peace, prosperity, love, and abundance of blessings in the name of the most high God!  'Deuce, yo daddy

loves you!'  But they have so far been unable to exert influence on China’s legal system, which doesn’t have the same due process rights granted to arrest suspects as those in America.

In his letters home, Wendell Brown writes that he passes the time in jail by doing meditation, exercise, and keeping a vegan diet. He also says Bible study has been a big help. ‘God will

assure that the truth will come out,’ he wrote to his mother. Once a month, an official from the US Consulate visits Wendell Brown in jail to make sure he is not mistreated. ‘So many

sleepless nights,’ Antoinette Brown said. ‘It never makes sense. I stay up all night emailing people in China because their time is 12 hours ahead, so it’s daytime. You can never get an

answer.’ ‘No husband ever wants to see his wife cry,’ King said. In a Wednesday news conference, the three UCLA players thanked the president for helping to free them.  The gratitude was

expressed after Trump tweeted earlier on Wednesday, 'Do you think the three UCLA Basketball Players will say thank you President Trump? They were headed for 10 years in jail!' On

Tuesday, Trump indicated he had a conversation about the three players' situation with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. After asking for – and receiving – a thank you from the three

players, Trump gave his 'you're welcome' to the students in two tweets Thursday morning. 'To the three UCLA basketball players I say: You're welcome, go out and give

a big Thank You to President Xi Jinping of China who made your release possible and, HAVE A GREAT LIFE!' Trump tweeted. 'Be careful, there are many pitfalls on the long and

winding road of life!'   Donald TrumpChina