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L.A. Kings' defenseman Slava Voynov was charged today with felony spousal abuse a month after he allegedly attacked his wife in Redondo Beach.Voynov is scheduled to be arraigned in court on Dec. 1 for one count of corporal injury to a spouse with great bodily injury. If found guilty, he faces the maximum sentence of nine years in prison.
"During an argument at their Redondo Beach home on Oct. 19, Voynov caused his wife to suffer injuries to her eyebrow, cheek and neck," according to a statement from the L.A. County District Attorney's office. "The injuries were serious and required medical attention
at a local hospital where the defendant was arrested," prosecutors added
Redondo Beach police arrested Voynov at a Torrance hospital on Oct. 20 after he brought his wife to be treated for her injuries, and hospital officials suspected she was a victim of domestic abuse, Daily Breeze reported. Voynov was later released on bail.
His wife didn't want to prosecute against her husband, and claimed her injuries were from an accident.
Since Voynov's arrest, he's been suspended from playing for the Kings, and has missed 14 games, the L.A. Times reported.
"We maintain our support of the NHL’s indefinite suspension of Slava Voynov," according to a statement from the Kings. "As an organization we will continue to closely monitor the developments of the legal proceedings and work in partnership with the NHL to determine the proper course of action in the future."
Voynov's attorney, Craig Renetzky, argues his client is innocent: "Mr. Voynov is extremely disappointed that the district attorney's office elected to file charges. Mr. Voynov maintains his innocence and looks forward to clearing his name in court. We remain confident."
