Famed actor and son of late IDF chief Moshe Dayan allegedly beat girlfriend, threatened her with knife.
By JPOST STAFF, YAAKOV LAPPINassi dayan 248.88(photo credit: Courtesy)
Assi Dayan, one of Israel's most successful TV and big-screen actors and directors, and the star of the hit Israeli television drama Betipul(In Therapy), was indicted on Monday in Tel Aviv's Magistrate's Court for physically assaulting his 33-year-old girlfriend and threatening her life.
Judge Ido Darwian also decided to send Dayan back to the psychiatric ward at Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, for further evaluation and treatment. Dayan's next court appearance will take place next week.
Dayan was arrested by Tel Aviv police on Saturday after his partner appeared at a precinct in the city with a black eye, and told officers of a series of attacks she had been subjected to by the 67-year-old actor.
On one occasion, "Dayan took a kitchen knife and threatened to slaughter her. He chased her around with the knife and beat her with it," a police representative told the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court during a custody hearing on Sunday.
Dayan was absent from the hearing after being hospitalized at Sheba Medical Center after feeling unwell. He was rushed to hospital in the middle of a police interrogation on Saturday.
Before being taken to the hospital, police say he managed to confess to the majority of the suspicions against him, and at one point admitted that "I told her if she continued, I would kill her."
Dayan's lawyer, Itai Ben-Nun, asked the court not to hold the hearing in his client's absence, adding that the actor was under the influence of several medicines.
Judge Sigal Resler-Zakai rejected that request, ruled that Dayan was dangerous and ordered his custody to be extended by two days.
The judge did, however, accept Ben-Nun's request to send Dayan to a psychiatric hospital for an evaluation.
Ben-Nun said his client was "unable to respond [to questions] properly and there are concerns that his mind has been clouded by the many medicines he has been given."
Dayan's arrest marks a new low for the son of the late IDF chief of general staff Moshe Dayan.
In 2004, he was convicted for cocaine possession and given a suspended sentence of eight months and 200 hours community service.
Two years later, Dayan was hospitalized after injecting himself with cocaine.
Dayan began his movie career in the 1960s. His most recent hit, Betipul, was purchased and produced in an American version, In Treatment, by Home Box Office.
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