TV and Video Game Actor Denies Skining Ex's Pet Rabbit

An actor who allegedly killed, skinned and partially ate his former girlfriend’s pet rabbit and then threatened to do the same to her pleaded not guilty today to two felony counts.

Dimitri Diatchenko, 46, of North Hollywood was ordered to be remanded into custody in lieu of $90,000 bail. He had been free on $50,000 bond posted following his Dec. 7 arrest.

Diatchenko faces up to four years and eight months behind bars if convicted of one count each of cruelty to an animal and criminal threats.

Diatchenko allegedly used a knife to kill the rabbit and threatened his ex-girlfriend -- with whom he had lived for some time after their romantic relationship ended -- after she said they should not be roommates any longer.

He is accused of skinning the rabbit, cooking it and eating half of it while sending the woman step-by-step photos of what he did while she was out of the house, according to Deputy District Attorney Lou Holtz. When the woman returned, Diatchenko allegedly threatened to do the same thing to her.

Diatchenko maintained that it was “all a misunderstanding.”

“We got into an argument, but I didn’t kill the bunny,” he told KCAL9 earlier this month. “This was a hoax.”

Diatchenko -- who has appeared on “Sons of Anarchy” and “Bones” -- told Channel 9 that he set the rabbit loose and bought rabbit meat at the store.

He is due back in a Van Nuys courtroom Feb. 4, when a date is scheduled to be set for a hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to require him to stand trial.

• City News Service
• Photo Credit: Youtube screengrab