Patricia Coats Jessamy is a former chief prosecutor for the City of Baltimore, Maryland. She was appointed to head the Office of the State's Attorney in 1995 and won reelection three times.
Honorable Patricia C. Jessamy | |
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State's Attorney for Baltimore | |
In office 1995–2011 | |
Preceded by | Stuart O. Simms |
Succeeded by | Gregg Bernstein |
Constituency | Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
Personal details | |
Born | Hollandale, Mississippi | July 26, 1948
Nationality | American |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Howard Jessamy |
Alma mater | Jackson State University University of Mississippi School of Law |
Profession | Attorney |
Website | http://www.stattorney.org/article01.html |
Background
editBorn on July 26, 1948, in Hollandale, Mississippi. She received a B.A. from Jackson State University in 1970 and graduated from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1974, and admitted to the Maryland Bar that year.
Career
editJessamy was the first woman to serve as Baltimore State’s Attorney. She may have pioneered the "do not call" list for police with integrity problems.[1] She began her legal career in Maryland in 1985 as an assistant state’s attorney. In 1987, State’s Attorney Stuart Simms appointed Jessamy as deputy state’s attorney for administration. As deputy state’s attorney, Jessamy created the Victim Assistance Program and was responsible for all fiscal matters, budgets, and personnel. In 1995, the Circuit Court unanimously appointed Jessamy as state’s attorney following Simms' resignation to become state secretary for juvenile services. She has successfully run for re-election in November 1998, 2002, and 2006. Jessamy considered running for Mayor of Baltimore during the 1999 mayoral election,[2] but declined to run.
Jessamy was defeated in her September 14, 2010, primary bid by Democrat Gregg Bernstein.[3]
Notes
edit- ^ Fenton, Justin (2021). We Own This City. New York: Random House. p. 27. ISBN 9780593133668. Archived from the original on 2021-11-03. Retrieved 2021-05-30.
- ^ White, Tony (May 27, 1999). "Mayor's race goes into high gear". Baltimore Afro-American. p. A1-2. Archived from the original on August 20, 2013. Retrieved October 20, 2013.
- ^ Bishop, Tricia (September 17, 2010), Jessamy concedes state's attorney race, Baltimore Sun
References
edit- [1]|accessdate 18 September 2010.
- Dominguez, Alex (17 September 2010). "Veteran Baltimore prosecutor concedes race". Associated Press. Retrieved 18 September 2010.[permanent dead link]