Patricia Jessamy

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.

Background

Born on July 26, 1948 in Hollandale, Mississippi Jessamy received a B.A. from Jackson State University in 1970 and graduated from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1974. She was admitted to the Maryland Bar later that year.

Career

Patricia Coats Jessamy was the first woman to serve as Baltimore City State’s Attorney. 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,^[1] but declined to run.

Jessamy was defeated in her September 14, 2010 primary bid by Democrat Gregg Bernstein.^[2]

Notes

References

• |accessdate 18 September 2010.
• Dominguez, Alex (17 September 2010). "Veteran Baltimore prosecutor concedes race". Associated Press. Retrieved 18 September 2010.