North Hollywood Actor Pleads No Contest to Skinning, Cooking Ex's Pet Rabbit

An actor who sent his former girlfriend graphic photos of a pet rabbit that prosecutors say he had skinned, cooked and partially ate pleaded no contest today to an animal cruelty charge.

Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic immediately sentenced Dimitri Diatchenko, 47, of North Hollywood, to 48 hours of animal cruelty counseling, 60 days of community labor and three years probation, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

Diatchenko killed the rabbit last Dec. 6 after his roommate, with whom he was previously involved romantically, told him they should not live together any longer, according to Deputy District Attorney Elan Carr.

Diatchenko skinned the rabbit, cooked it and ate part of the animal while sending her graphic photos of what he did, the prosecutor said.

Diatchenko -- who has appeared on “Sons of Anarchy” and “Bones” -- told KCAL9 late last year that it was “all a misunderstanding.”

“We got into an argument, but I didn’t kill the bunny,” he said, telling Channel 9 that he set the rabbit loose and bought rabbit meat at the store.

City News Service