James E. Ritchie, Lawyer And Retired General, 72, Washington Post
DGH
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/28/AR2008122801638.html
James E. Ritchie, 72, a former Washington DC lawyer who later served as an
executive with Mirage Resorts in Las Vegas, Nevada, died of a stroke he
suffered while flying into Las Vegas from Berlin, Germany. He died at Spring
Valley Hospital Medical Center in Las Vegas.
Mr. Ritchie, a former Potomac, Maryland, resident, served in the Army Judge
Advocate General Corps for more than 30 years. A brigadier general based at
the Pentagon while on active duty, he retired from the reserves in 1992 as
assistant judge advocate for operations.
He joined the Justice Department in 1964 as a trial attorney for the
organized crime and racketeering section and was appointed attorney in
charge of the Detroit, Michigan, strike force and later the San Francisco,
California, strike force. The strike forces operated special prosecution
units to investigate and combat organized crime, and Mr. Ritchie was
involved in the prosecution of major unlawful gambling operations.
He opened a private practice in Washington in 1973, specializing in taxation
and legislative issues dealing with legalized gaming in the United States
and abroad. Later he was a senior partner with O'Connor & Hannan in the
District [Washington DC].
He was named executive director of the Presidential Commission on the Review
of the National Policy Toward Gaming. In that position, he served as a
liaison to Congress and federal agencies regarding the regulation and
prohibition of gambling activities.
When his commission tenure ended in 1989, he joined Mirage Resorts as
executive vice president of corporate development. He later was a licensee
of the Gold Coast Hotel and Casino and a licensed owner of the Casablanca
Resort and the Oasis Resort in Mesquite, Nevada. He also served as the legal
representative for companies in Europe through his Nevada Amigos Corp.,
working on private sector investing in major U.S. infrastructure projects.
Mr. Ritchie was born in Lordsburg, New Mexico, and grew up in Tulsa,
Oklahoma. He received his undergraduate degree from Oklahoma State
University in 1958 and his law degree from the University of Tulsa in 1960.
He loved the cowboy life and the traditions of the West, and was a member of
two California trail-riding groups, Ranchos Vistadores, based in Santa
Barbara, and Viaje de Portola of San Juan Capistrano. He also was a member
of Bohemian Grove.
Survivors include his wife of 39 years, Patricia Geis Ritchie of Las Vegas;
three children, Ian Ritchie and Shana Ritchie of Las Vegas and Alexander
Ritchie of Malibu, California; a sister and brother; and three
grandchildren.
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Joe Holley