Domestic abuse charges dismissed against lead Milwaukee Ballet artist

MILWAUKEE -- Domestic abuse charges were dismissed Tuesday, Dec. 4 against Davit Hovhannisyan listed as a leading artist of the Milwaukee Ballet.

In court on Tuesday, the state moved to dismiss the charges, and the defense did not object. The case was dismissed "without prejudice."

Hovhannisyan faced a couple of misdemeanor charges for an alleged incident that happened on Nov. 18. The charges included misdemeanor battery and disorderly conduct.

When he made his initial appearance in court on Nov. 21, his attorney argued there is no evidence to support the charges.

"We must protect those from being falsely accused. When I look at this complaint, I see hearsay, within hearsay, within hearsay," the attorney said.

According to the criminal complaint, a woman told police around 10 p.m. on Nov. 18, she got into an argument with Hovhannisyan at a residence in Milwaukee. That "argument escalated and the defendant began to yell at her."

The women indicated Hovhannisyan "pushed her against the coffee table and continued to scream at her." At some point, the complaint says Hovhannisyan "was holding a bath rug and that he began to whip her with it in the face and neck." The woman also told police Hovhannisyan "then slapped her with an open fist to the left side of the face and told her 'don't make me do this.'"

Again -- all charges against Hovhannisyan have been dismissed by the court.