“The 40-Year-Old Virgin” Actor Shelley Malil On Trial For Attempted Murder

A star of the hit comedy The 40-Year-Old Virgin went on trial for attempted murder in a Los Angeles courtroom this week after allegedly stabbing his ex-girlfriend 23 times in Aug. 2008.

Shelley Malil, who played Haziz in the 2005 comedy, has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder, burglary and assault with a deadly weapon in the violent late summer attack. In a graphic opening statement delivered to the California court on Monday, prosecuting attorney Keith Wantanabe alleged that Malil, 45, nearly stabbed his ex-girlfriend Kendra Beebe to death two years ago after he found her drinking wine on the back porch of her home with another man.

“With the casual familiarity of a close friend Shelley Malil walked up to Kendra Beebe and stabbed her in the torso.”

According to police, Malil stabbed her several times with a knife before a neighbour wrestled it away. He then grabbed another knife from her kitchen and stabbed her again, police allege.

Beebe broke up with Malil after a year’s relationship, saying he was “too possessive.” Prosecutors argue the couple had had an on-again, off-again type of relationship during which Malil allegedly e-mailed nude photographs of himself and Beebe to her fellow employees.

Malil’s defense attorney Matthew Roberts argues that the actor didn’t plan the attack and acted in self-defense.

If found guilty of the attempted murder charge, Malil could face life behind bars.