Patricia Jessamy

Honorable
Patricia C. Jessamy
Honorable Patricia C. Jessamy
State's Attorney of Baltimore
	In office; 1995–2011
Preceded by	Stuart O. Simms
Succeeded by	Gregg Bernstein
Constituency	Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Personal details
Born	July 26, 1948 (age 76); Hollandale, Mississippi
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

Patricia Coats Jessamy was the State's Attorney of Baltimore, Maryland. She was appointed to head the office in 1995 and won reelection three times.

Background

Born 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

Jessamy 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

^ 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

[1]|accessdate 18 September 2010.
Dominguez, Alex (17 September 2010). "Veteran Baltimore prosecutor concedes race". Associated Press. Retrieved 18 September 2010.^{[permanent dead link]}

[1] 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.

[2] 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.

[3] Bishop, Tricia (September 17, 2010), Jessamy concedes state's attorney race, Baltimore Sun

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