Fund planned for victim's work

A group of Boston ministers plans to announce today that they are establishing a Hero's Fund in the memory of Jahmol A. Norfleet, who helped lead a gang truce effort before he was shot in the head last week outside his grandmother's Roxbury home.

The Rev. Miniard Culpepper of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Roxbury is leading the effort to raise money for the fund, which will be used to pay for an antiviolence video Norfleet was planning in the days before his death.

Culpepper said the fund will also pay for leadership-development and conflict-resolution workshops for other youths hoping to follow in Norfleet's footsteps as a peacemaker.

Norfleet, a former leader of the H-Block gang in Roxbury, would have turned 21 today.

"Jahmol was so excited about the video that the other youth got as excited," Culpepper said in an interview last night. "He was a developing leader. We wanted to help the youth struggling through this that have leadership potential realize their full potential."

Norfleet and other youths had decided to film the antiviolence video, Culpepper said, as they watched a rap video full of violent and negative images.

"We wanted to do just the opposite," Culpepper said.

Norfleet's funeral is scheduled for 10 a.m. tomorrow at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church. Family members ask that in lieu of flowers donations be made to the Jahmol Norfleet Hero's Fund c/o City Mission Society, 14 Beacon St., Suite 203, Boston, MA 02108.

SUZANNE SMALLEY