76-year-old Spokane lawyer charged with rape

The Washington Attorney General’s Office today charged a 76-year-old Spokane lawyer with rape. Robert Caruso, who made a failed bid to be Spokane County prosecutor eight years ago, is charged with second-degree rape and unlawful imprisonment, according to a news release. He was arrested around 2:30 p.m. Friday and remains in jail in lieu of $200,000 bond. His first court appearance on the charge will be Monday afternoon. Spokane County Prosecutor Steve Tucker asked the AG’s office to prosecute the case, the release said. Caruso is accused of raping a 22-year-old woman who’d been in a car crash. She told Spokane police that Caruso drove by and offered to help her, but instead drove her to his condominium on the South Hill and drugged and raped her, according to court records. Caruso’s lawyer, David Partovi, told The Spokesman-Review earlier this fall that the allegations are “completely false.” Partovi said at the time that Caruso had voluntarily submitted to a DNA test. Spokane County Superior Court has issued a warrant for Caruso’s arrest, according to the news release.