Prosecutors to Seek Death Penalty Against Al-Amin

ATLANTA, May 4 (AP)--Prosecutors said Thursday they will seek the death penalty against the community activist once known as H. Rap Brown in the shooting death of a sheriff's deputy.

The 56-year-old Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin, as he is now called, faces murder and other charges for the March 16 shootout in which Fulton County Deputy Ricky Kinchen was killed and Deputy Aldranon English wounded. English has identified Al-Amin as the gunman.

Al-Amin, who in recent years has become a prominent Muslim leader with both a local and national following, did not enter a plea during a preliminary hearing in Superior Court. He has said he did not shoot anyone.

About 30 supporters from Atlanta's West End neighborhood attended the hearing. Al-Amin, who in the 1960s was a black millitant leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, is admired in his neighborhood for helping to rid the area of drug dealers, prostitutes and other criminals.

He raised a hand to acknowledge a prayer they said in unison as he entered court: ``May God's peace be with you.''

Judge Stephanie Manis ordered all parties in the case - including witnesses and police officers - not to speak to the media.

Defense attorney Jack Martin complained to Manis that law enforcement officers were convicting Al-Amin in the media.

``The order cuts both ways,'' the judge told Martin. ``And you have many people who are interested in your case.''

Autopsy results released earlier this week show Kinchen was hit six times by at least one .223-caliber rifle round and two kinds of 9 mm ammunition. Authorities have said they found a .223-caliber rifle and a 9 mm handgun in the Alabama woods where Al-Amin was arrested.

Kinchen and English were attempting to serve Al-Amin with an arrest warrant accusing him of charges including impersonating a police officer and receiving a stolen car.