LAK Voynov suspended indefinitely for domestic abuse

[Kulstad]

As per ESPN --> http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nhl/story/_/id/11732720/slava-voynov-los-angeles-kings-suspended-indefinitely

 

Slava Voynov was arrested Monday morning on domestic violence charges and has been suspended indefinitely from the Los Angeles Kings pending a formal investigation by the NHL.

 

Voynov was arrested at 3:45 a.m. ET (12:45 a.m. PT) on Monday by Redondo Beach police, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department website. Reached via email, Redondo Beach city prosecutor Melanie Chivara told ESPN.com that Voynov was the subject of a felony arrest for domestic violence charges. He will next appear in court Dec. 1 in Torrance, California. His case will first be reviewed by the district attorney's office for felony consideration, Chivara said.

 

Voynov's bail amount was set at $50,000, which he posted, Sgt. Paul Ribitzki of the Redondo Beach PD said.

 

"These developments are of great concern to our organization," the Kings said in a statement. "We support the NHL's decision to suspend Slava Voynov indefinitely during this process, and we will continue to take appropriate action as the legal proceedings and the investigation by the NHL take their course."

 

Voynov's lawyer, Craig Renetzky, declined to divulge any further details about the case but stressed that charges have not yet been filed.

 

"It's very early in the stages and no charges have been filed," Renetzky told ESPN.com when reached by phone Monday afternoon. "That doesn't mean charges will be filed or are warranted in this case. We're conducting our own investigation to determine what happened."

 

The suspension was announced by the NHL after it consulted with the NHL Players Association.  The collective bargaining agreement between the league and its players says that, during a criminal investigation, "the League may suspend the Player pending the League's formal review and disposition of the matter where the failure to suspend the Player during this period would create a substantial risk of material harm to the legitimate interests and/or reputation of the League."

 

Reached by telephone Monday morning, Voynov's agent, Rolland Hedges, declined to comment about the situation.

 

"I'm sorry, I really can't," he told ESPN.com.

 

Hedges said he was working on gathering more information about the situation.

 

Voynov will continue to be paid during the suspension. He has two assists in six games this season -- his fourth with the Kings. Voynov is 24.

 

When asked about the issue of domestic violence at the beginning of this season, commissioner Gary Bettman said the league had been working with the union on the policy for over a decade.

 

"We as a league have more than enough authority and mechanisms to punish, if necessary, in the appropriate case. Fortunately we haven't seen too many. But more importantly we focus on counseling and education, and in the joint programs we have with the Players' Association we've been counseling and educating on domestic violence for more than a decade, I don't remember the exact date," he said. "The security department does it in their annual meetings with each team, and the behavioral counselors from the substance abuse, behavioral health program also counsel and educate the players on those and many other issues.

 

"So I'm not sure for us there is any need for any code of conduct other than our players, who overwhelming conduct themselves magnificently off the ice -- we deal with it on a case by case basis. I don't think we need to formalize anything more. Our players know what's right and wrong, and as I said, we have the mechanisms in place to hopefully not get to that point."

 

Last season, Colorado Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov was involved in a domestic violence charge involving his girlfriend, but was able to travel and play with the team while the case went through the judicial system.

 

Varlamov's girlfriend, Evgeniya Vavrinyukat, told police he knocked her down with a kick, stomped on her chest and dragged her by her hair at their apartment on Oct. 30, according to an arrest affidavit.

 

When asked about the different treatment of Varlamov and Voynov, deputy commissioner Bill Daly told ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun in an email: "The facts and circumstances are different."

[Zirakzigil]

I think the NHL reacted correctly. They will reevaluate things as more information is released. 

[Flyerfan52]

I'll wait for the further information.

 

I fell off a high horse years ago (it hurt) so am not big on premature judgements.

 

Let it ride until information besides the press that quickly gets excited cools down. With modern media it's the Salem witch trials x 10 (or more).

[s4xon]

I'll wait for the further information.

 

I fell off a high horse years ago (it hurt) so am not big on premature judgements.

 

Let it ride until information besides the press that quickly gets excited cools down. With modern media it's the Salem witch trials x 10 (or more).

 

 

I say let 'em burn. 

 

 

[DL44]

Lost in Translation angle being presented now. She fell down the stairs according to Voynov camp.

 

We'll see as the story unfolds here...  

 

I hope he did nothing.. obviously..

[CastleMania]

CBA question I don't know: If his name is cleared, is his pay reinstated for the time lost during his suspension?

 

I'm of the opinion that employers should not act as courts. They do not have the in built due process that the criminal justice system has, and to act as a judicial body is very dangerous. I would prefer to see the legal system work and employers take action depending on the outcome of those proceedings.

[Flyerfan52]

CBA question I don't know: If his name is cleared, is his pay reinstated for the time lost during his suspension?

 

I'm of the opinion that employers should not act as courts. They do not have the in built due process that the criminal justice system has, and to act as a judicial body is very dangerous. I would prefer to see the legal system work and employers take action depending on the outcome of those proceedings.

The OP said he'd continue to be paid during the suspension.

[Zirakzigil]

The CBA states that players still receive their pay, which is why he is still counting against the cap. 

[DL44]

CBA question I don't know: If his name is cleared, is his pay reinstated for the time lost during his suspension?

 

I'm of the opinion that employers should not act as courts. They do not have the in built due process that the criminal justice system has, and to act as a judicial body is very dangerous. I would prefer to see the legal system work and employers take action depending on the outcome of those proceedings.

FF52 answered your first question...

 

But as to your opinion, I would completely agree in the private sector and in private business...

But these public sports leagues simply can not afford act retroactively on such sensitive emotion stirring allegations.  There are millions of revenue dollars at risk and simply can not take the stance of waiting to hear what the courts are going to say...

 

Perfect proof of that was all the sponsorship that pulled out of the NFL once Peterson got activated after his child abuse charge... 

The NFL initially took your stance  that they should allow him to play until the courts did their thing, and it turned out to be a PR and financial disaster for them.

 

Also you know what the strategy of the advocacy groups are that makes them so amazingly effective and get policies changed and get the criminals punished financially... they don't go after the NFL or NHL aggressively... they go after their sponsors aggressively.  Its a brilliant and effective and the correct strategy.

 

Just too much money involved that hinges on image and reputation of the League for them not to act like the NHL did in this circumstance..

[CastleMania]

Thanks for answering. I didn't get through the whole OP cause I was at work.

 

I understand what you're saying DL44, but it doesn't change my position. This may be the correct business decision, but it is shameful that society forces businesses to act in such a manner.

 

Western society relies on an innocent until proven guilty standard--or at least pays lip service to such a standard. But the court of public opinion in modern society has effectively created a guilty until proven innocent approach. We see the same thing developing with sexual abuse standards in universities. Institutions lacking the institutional capacity and controls necessary to ensure that the legitimate rights of those accused of wrong doing should not be performing such duties.

 

If someone is accused of crimes of such magnitude, they should be afforded the due process guaranteed by law, and their fate should not be decided by incompetent institutional kangaroo courts and the court of public opinion.

[CheersMan]

Voynov will have his day in court.  If he is found guilty of domestic violence..............I say deport the SOB the day after he serves his time.

[tmac70]

Any form of domestic violence is unacceptable. Times have changed, Mac Tavish in EDM and Danny Heatly both kill someone in a drunk driving accident, Yet were still allowed play and be employed in the NHL.

 

If any professional sport team is going to have their player's held accountable and suspended for their actions, should not everyone associated be held to the same standards.

[senor_incendiarse]

Any form of domestic violence is unacceptable. Times have changed, Mac Tavish in EDM and Danny Heatly both kill someone in a drunk driving accident, Yet were still allowed play and be employed in the NHL.

 

If any professional sport team is going to have their player's held accountable and suspended for their actions, should not everyone associated be held to the same standards.

Just to clarify, but Heatley was never deemed to be over the limit, thus was never given an impaired charge.  But still easy to see how the professional leagues have changed their stances towards player behaviour.  NFL shows the prime example, Ray Lewis was charged with murder and even though his charges were lessened, he still didn't face any loss of action, whereas Aaron Hernandez was dropped once he was charged.  I do agree with Castle that this guy does deserve the right to a fair trial before we really can come to a judgment on him.  But in the larger picture the big money always wins, the NFL doesn't need Adrian Peterson or Ray Rice to be the juggernaut it is.  The NHL doesn't gain anything from Slava Voynov.  And sponsors in most cases can dump a guy like Kobe Bryant when he's facing rape charges, because they can just go after LeBron.

[jjgallow]

I think everyone's basically in agreeance on this with very slight variations.

 

Let due process take its course.

 

If he's innocent, let him return to the NHL.

 

If he's guilty, he burns at the stake.  And rightfully so.