Privileges enjoyed by white men of wealth are innumerable. Undoubtedly, one benefit of being one of the richest men in Spokane is that, for the most part, physical altercations are beneath you. Just take that shit to court.
To his credit, that's exactly what local developer Harlan Douglass did when he sued an insurance company over its alleged failure to disclose information about a property he'd purchased. At least that's what he did at first.
But when the 78-year-old got off the witness stand in April 2015, he got into a heated discussion with a lawyer for the other side during a recess.
Outside the courtroom, the attorney, Warren Robinson, put his hand on Douglass' shoulder and apologized that they weren't able to settle the issue out of court, according to court documents.
Douglass then slapped Robinson's left ear as the man turned to leave, sending the attorney recoiling in shock, court documents say. Douglass then grabbed Robinson's wrist and shoved him against the wall, documents state.
The developer, who did not return messages seeking comment, was arrested and booked into jail, where he reportedly spent the night, according to news reports. The attack, which Douglass later pleaded guilty to, was considered a felony because it happened in a courtroom hallway. ♦
