Kings’ Slava Voynov pleads not guilty in domestic violence case

Suspended Kings defenseman Slava Voynov pleaded not guilty to a felony domestic violence charge during his arraignment Monday at Los Angeles Superior Court in Torrance.

A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Jan. 28 with a jury trial set for March 2.

Voynov was arrested Oct. 20 in connection with an incident involving his wife, Marta Varlamova, at their Redondo Beach home.

During Voynov’s preliminary hearing earlier this month, Redondo Beach Police Officer Gregory Wiist testified that Varlamova told him during two recorded interviews that her husband hit her in the face and later threw her to the ground and kicked and choked her.

The officer also said Varlamova told him that Voynov pushed her into a flat-screen television, opening a cut above her left eye that required eight stitches to close.

Attorneys for Varlamova and Voynov have characterized the alleged incidents as an “accident.” One of Voynov’s attorneys, Craig Renetzky, declined further comment Monday.

If found guilty, Voynov faces a maximum sentence of nine years in state prison. He remains suspended indefinitely with pay by the NHL.

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