Jessamy: 'setting city back 60 years' comment not racial

BALTIMORE - Patricia Jessamy made the statement in front of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance last week.

"He [Gregg Bernstein] doesn't think a prosecutor's office should have anything to do with prevention, intervention or treatment and I don't know a prosecutors office in the country that practices that and if he is elected he would be taking us back sixty years."

You can see the full youtube video here .

It's the last part at issue here, some thinking she's comparing her opponent's crime fighting strategy to the racial injustices of decades ago.

Friday afternoon before taking the endorsement of the very same group, she dismissed what she believes is a misinterpretation.

"Shame on them, shame on them for interjecting something that had no relevance at all to what I was saying," said Jessamy.

Jessamy simply says Gregg Bernstein's view of not including prevention and intervention programs in the prosecutor's office is outdated. That, she says is all she meant.

"It is the job of the state's attorneys office to focus its resources on prosecuting violent criminals, that's where we're going to devote our attention," responded candidate Gregg Bernstein.

Bernstein believes prevention and intervention are extremely important but the job of other agencies. And while he would partner closely with those agencies, he would spend most of his resources going after repeat violent offenders.

As for the other part of Jessamy's remarks, he's not sure what she meant but doesn't believe race has any place in the race.

"My point simply is that any kind of statement that gives a suggestion that this election is about race does a disservice to the citizens of Baltimore."

Both candidates now trying to keep focused as the election is just four days away.