John H. "Jack" Davitt, 81, a retired Department of Justice attorney who was responsible for reviewing all espionage cases from 1951 to 1980, died of pancreatic cancer Feb. 14 at home in Cotuit, Mass. He was a former resident of Chevy Chase.
Mr. Davitt moved to Cotuit in 1980 after retiring as chief of the internal security section of the Justice Department's criminal division.
For decades, John H. Davitt helped prepare every major espionage probe at Department of Justice.
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He joined the Justice Department in 1951 and participated in the preparation of every major espionage prosecution initiated by the department. He held a series of posts in the internal security division, including acting deputy assistant attorney general, deputy chief and chief of the criminal section, and head of the espionage unit.
In a 1992 article in the St. Petersburg Times, Mr. Davitt noted that the Cold War did not bring an end to spying and that there has been an increase of industrial espionage against the United States by its allies.
He said in the article that our allies are using spy methods "every bit as sophisticated as those of the KGB in order to gain high-tech secrets."
Mr. Davitt, a native of Fall River, Mass., received his law degree from Boston University Law School. He served in Europe during World War II.
He loved his Irish heritage and was known as a great storyteller. "Never let the facts get in the way of a good story," he always said.
He also was known for his sense of humor and for the many dinners and social events that he and his wife hosted at their Chevy Chase homes and later in Cotuit and Naples, Fla. He was a lifelong Red Sox fan.
He was a former member of the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Chevy Chase.
Survivors include his wife of 54 years, Margaret Devine Davitt of Cotuit and Naples; 10 children, Irene Jones of Haymarket, Margaret Leddy of Mamaroneck, N.Y., Mary Kate Bloomer of Brewster, Mass., Kathleen "Casey" Bloomer of Exeter, N.H., Patricia Long of Silver Spring, John Davitt of Washington, Michael Davitt of Silver Spring, Brian Davitt of Manchester, N.H., Emmet Davitt of Catonsville and Christopher Davitt of Silver Spring; and 36 grandchildren.
