Patricia Coats Jessamy is the first woman to serve as the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City, Maryland. She was appointed to the position in 1995 and has won elections in 1998, 2002, and 2006.
Mrs. Jessamy is the seventh of eight children born on a farm in the Mississippi Delta. Her desire to become a lawyer started in 1965 when her parents, on her behalf, filed a legal action in the Northern District of Mississippi Federal District Court under the “public accommodations Act.” Patricia Coats fulfilled her life-long dream of becoming a lawyer in May 1974 when she began her legal career in Cleveland, Mississippi. In addition to practicing law in Mississippi for several years, she practiced law in Michigan and Missouri before her admission to the Maryland Bar in 1985.
Since becoming State’s Attorney, Pat has reorganized the office to deliver more effective and efficient services to the citizens of Baltimore. She is a visionary leader who understands that addressing the issue of crime involves more than just prosecuting crime. As a result, she has designed a crime fighting strategy she refers to as her three-prong approach to crime—law enforcement, treatment/early intervention and prevention.
Mrs. Jessamy has designed many youth directed programs to prevent crime. She is a proponent of drug treatment and works to break the cycle of abuse in physical and sexual child abuse and domestic violence cases. Pat and her capable staff have designed diversion and community services programs which hold offenders accountable for their actions. She has made violent crime, gun crimes and gang prosecution a priority to assure that violent offenders are taken off the streets and kept off the streets for as long as possible.
The Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office has more than 400 employees, including over 200 prosecutors and 200 professional, paraprofessional, and other support staff. Pat has assembled a staff of competent, hard working professionals who represent diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. The office is intentionally one of the most diverse in the country.
Mrs. Jessamy, an effective administrator and a forward looking leader, recognizes crime trends and works to establish best practices to address their impact on the criminal justice process. Pat has led the State in prosecutorial advocacy for legislative changes that enhance public safety in the areas of witness intimidation, guns, gangs, identity theft, sex offenses, human trafficking and domestic violence. She has worked to engage and educate the community on criminal justice issues, and has forged partnerships to expand resources, services and assistance to crime victims and the community.
Mrs. Jessamy has designed many youth directed programs to prevent crime. She is a proponent of drug treatment and works to break the cycle of abuse in physical and sexual child abuse and domestic violence cases. Pat and her capable staff have designed diversion and community services programs which hold offenders accountable for their actions. She has made violent crime, gun crimes and gang prosecution a priority to assure that violent offenders are taken off the streets and kept off the streets for as long as possible.
Mrs. Jessamy, an effective administrator and a forward looking leader, recognizes crime trends and works to establish best practices to address their impact on the criminal justice process. Pat has led the State in prosecutorial advocacy for legislative changes that enhance public safety in the areas of witness intimidation, guns, gangs, identity theft, sex offenses, human trafficking and domestic violence. She has worked to engage and educate the community on criminal justice issues, and has forged partnerships to expand resources, services and assistance to crime victims and the community.
