Robert S. Lasnik

Robert Stephen Lasnik (born 1951) is an American attorney and jurist, who serves as a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. Education and career Born in Staten Island, New York, Lasnik received an Artium Baccalaureus degree from Brandeis University in 1972 and a Master of Science in journalism from Northwestern University in 1973, a Master of Arts in counseling also from Northwestern University in 1974, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Washington School of Law in 1978. From 1978 to 1990, Lasnik worked in the office of the King County Prosecuting Attorney, including five years as a deputy prosecutor (from 1978 to 1981), two years as a senior deputy prosecutor (from 1981 to 1983), and seven years as chief of staff to longtime King County Prosecutor Norm Maleng (from 1983 to 1990). In his time with the King County Prosecuting Attorney's office, Lasnik prosecuted a number of high-profile cases, many with future King County Superior Court Judge William L. Downing. The pair prosecuted three cases stemming from the Wah Mee Massacre, the infamous 1983 robbery-homicide that ended in the murder of thirteen employees and patrons of the Wah Mee Club in Seattle's International District. Lasnik and Downing also successfully prosecuted David Lewis Rice, who on Christmas Eve in 1986 murdered all four members of a prominent Seattle family based on the mistaken belief they were part of a Jewish-communist conspiracy.