Patricia Jessamy

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Honorable Patricia C. Jessamy
In office
February, 1995 – present
Preceded by Stuart O. Simms
Constituency Baltimore, Maryland
Born July 26, 1948 (1948-07-26) (age 59)
Hollandale, Mississippi
Nationality American
Political party Democratic
Spouse Howard Jessamy
Alma mater Jackson State University
Profession Attorney
Religion African Methodist Episcopal
Website http://www.stattorney.org/article01.html

Patricia Coats Jessamy is the chief prosecutor for the City of Baltimore, Maryland and the first African American woman to hold that position. She was appointed to head the Office of the State's Attorney in 1995 and has won three elections since.

Contents

[edit] 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.

[edit] Career

Prior to moving to Baltimore, Jessamy was an Assistant County Prosecutor, Genessee County, Michigan from 1977 to 1979 and a Staff Attorney at the Office of Hearings and Appeals in Kansas City, Missouri from 1979 to 1983.
Jessamy was an Assistant State's Attorney, in Baltimore, from 1985 to 1986, the Chief of the Economic Crimes Unit in the office of the State's Attorney from 1986 to 1987 and Deputy State's Attorney from 1987 to 1995.[1]She was appointed to be the State's Attorney in 1995.
Since taking office Jessamy has upgraded the office's computer technology, expanded its homicide division, created a special gun prosecuting unit, a wiretapping unit, and several community-outreach programs. [2]

[edit] Awards and honors

  • Inductee, Baltimore City Commission on Women, 1995
  • Women's Hall of Fame, Baltimore City, 1996
  • Kathleen Kennedy Townsend Woman in Government Award, 1996
  • Maryland's Top 100 Women Award, Daily Record, 1996, 1998, 2001 (Circle of Excellence)
  • Distinguished Women Award, Alliance of Black Women Attorneys, 1997
  • Community Leadership Award, Baltimore Tuskegee Alumni Association, 1997
  • Torchbearer's Award, Coalition of 100 Black Women, 1998
  • Excellence in Achievement Award, Monumental City Bar Association and Baltimore City Bar Association, 1998
  • Service Award, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, 1999
  • Maryland Leadership In Law Award, Daily Record, 2001

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Baltimore City State's Attorney. Maryland State Archives. Retrieved on 2008-03-28.
  2. ^ Smith, Van. Full Court Press. Baltimore City Paper. Retrieved on 2008-03-28.