Lawyer: Slava Voynov case 'not a criminal act'

The lawyer for Los Angeles Kings defenseman Slava Voynov said he has interviewed the woman in Voynov's domestic abuse case and "what she described to me is not a criminal act."

"Based on what I've seen, fairness would dictate that this case be rejected and Mr. Voynov will be lacing up the skates for the Kings in short order," attorney Craig Renetzky said. "But all I can do is hope."

Voynov was suspended with pay by the NHL, pending a league investigation of events that led to him being arrested at the Little Company of Mary Hospital in Torrance, Calif., after midnight Monday morning, on suspicion of domestic abuse under section 275.3 of the California Penal Code. He was arrested after the woman he was with was treated for unspecified injuries.

He has not been charged, and his first appearance is scheduled until Dec. 1.

Multiple reports later Wednesday said the Redondo Beach police presented the investigation to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office, which requested more information before deciding whether to file charges.

"Based on what I've seen, any punishment from the league would be unwarranted," Renetzky said. "This is not a criminal activity."

Renetzky wouldn't provide details of what occurred, saying only "that if you looked at what occurred here, it's more of a misunderstanding or miscommunication (rather than) a criminal act."

The woman, at her request, has not been identified, but Renetzky confirmed that Voynov brought her to the hospital. She is still in contact with Voynov, although Renetzky declined to discuss their relationship.

Renetzky brought along a Russian interpreter to interview the woman about the events that led to her requiring medical attention. He said the interview lasted more than an hour.

"The woman explained what happened, and I was confident that she understood my questions and she was confident that she understood my questions," Renetzky said.

Renetzky said he had a "big advantage" over the police in his interview because they were dealing with a woman "in pain, at an emergency room and didn't understood the language."

According to Renetzky, the woman wanted to tell her side of the story. "She was very frustrated in the emergency room," he said. "When she asked if Slava could come in and help translate, he was not allowed to do so."

Renetzky said she was "very surprised" that Voynov was arrested.

His only concern is whether the NFL's Ray Rice incident has made it difficult to look at Voynov's case without "a jump to conclusions."

Renetzky said he has not talked to either the Kings or NHL officials.

"We will be open to them and will cooperate with any investigation that the league does," he said.

Voynov, according to Renetzky, has not been interviewed by the police.

The Kings face competitive hardship if Voynov's suspension continues, because he is their No. 2 defenseman, averaging more than 23 minutes a game. Because he is getting paid, his salary counts against the Kings' cap, meaning it would be difficult for the Kings to acquire a replacement if his status doesn't change.

In the short term, the Kings received a boost because offensive-minded defenseman Jake Muzzin is close to returning from injury.