New York Post Jan 17th 2003

HOMETOWN TEARS FOR SLAIN BANKER
By PATRICIA RICHARDSON Post Correspondent
CHICAGO -The weeping mother of the young banker shot to death on Manhattan's Lower East Side told hundreds of people at his funeral yesterday that her beloved son "was all heart."
"Burke O'Brien was all heart as a brother, as a son and as a friend," Barbara Burke said, her trembling voice so quiet that 600 mourners in Sts. Faith, Hope and Charity Catholic Church strained to hear.
Among them were dozens of boys who flew in from around the country to say goodby to O'Brien, 25, who for the past seven summers was a leader at Langskib North Waters, a Canadian wilderness camp.
"What do you say to a young man when their hero is no longer with them?" said David Knudsen, founder of the camp where O'Brien took underprivileged kids under his wing.
O'Brien was killed early Sunday as he and a friend, Forrest Bloede, returned to Bloede's Orchard Street apartment building.
Bloede said O'Brien was shot once in the chest after he resisted two muggers who took $12 from his pal.
Bloede was arrested and then released in the slaying. Police sources said his lawyer, Glenn Wolther, barred him from looking at mug shots of possible suspects.
Wolther yesterday said his client has good reason to be wary of helping cops.
"You have to remember the last time Forrest tried to help the police find his friend's killer, the police turned around and wrongly accused him of being Burke's murderer. Forrest's name must be completely cleared," he added.

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