LOS ANGELES—Los Angeles Kings defenseman Slava Voynov finally learned his fate following his pleading no contest in regards to the charges brought against him for his October 20 assault of wife Marta Varlamova.
Included in the judge’s sentence for the 25-year-old was 3 years’ probation, 90 days in jail, and $700 in fines. Voynov would also be mandated to attend 52 weeks of domestic violence counseling along with 8 hours of community service. Immigration courts can still potentially deport Voynov back to his native Russia.
Voynov and Varlamova, also Russian, were in their Redondo Beach home at the 800 block of Avenue C the night of the incident. Redondo Beach police responded after neighbors reported a disturbance. Voynov was placed in custody under suspicion of causing “corporal injury” to his spouse.
According to Helene Elliot of the LA Times, Varlamova, who does not speak English, recalled that Voynov “punched her in the jaw” and “choked her three times.” Voynov “shoved her into the corner of a flat-screen TV,” which left Varlamova with a 1.2-inch gash above her left eye.
The medical staff that treated Varlamova for her injuries determined that this was not the first case where Voynov assaulted his wife. Varlamova’s attorney Michael Walsh revealed that she refuses to press charges on those incidents and the October 20 case, claiming she is not a victim as she “doesn’t believe that he was trying to hurt her.” Varlamova reportedly reunited with her husband the day after the incident.
Several critics, who have compared the assault case to that of the NFL’s Ray Rice, have called on the Kings to trade Voynov or simply terminate his contract. Voynov had previously been suspended by the NHL for the remainder of the 2014-15 season following the night of the assault. The LA Kings were fined $100,000 last December for violating this suspension by letting Voynov participate in an “optional” practice skate.
The Kings organization has since then also suspended Voynov and, as of Friday, his status remains unchanged.
Voynov has until July 14 to surrender himself, but is expected to begin his jail sentence at one of Los Angeles’ county jails on Monday, July 6.
