Feds won't seek death penalty against East Chicago councilor

HAMMOND, Ind. (AP) - Federal prosecutors won't seek the death penalty against an East Chicago councilman facing drug charges.

They said in a notice filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Hammond that they won't seek the death penalty against Robert Battle. The Post-Tribune reports (http://trib.in/1ZnUMuO ) Battle now faces a possibility of life in prison if convicted of having a gun during a drug-trafficking crime in the Oct. 12 fatal shooting Reimundo Camarillo Jr. in East Chicago. He also faces other federal drug counts.

Battle has claimed Camarillo came at him with a knife and that he shot Camarillo in self-defense. Prosecutors say Camarillo was shot in the back and that no knife was found on Camarillo.

Battle has remained incarcerated since last fall.

A message seeking comment was left for Battle's attorney.

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Information from: Post-Tribune, http://posttrib.chicagotribune.com/