MAYOR BOOKER BARES FUNERAL FURY
By LORENA MONGELLI, SUSANNAH CAHALAN and LEELA de KRETSER
http://www.nypost.com/seven/08122007/ne ... retser.htm

August 12, 2007 -- A seething Newark Mayor Cory Booker pounded his fists and screamed "Enough is enough!" yesterday, capturing the fury of rage-blinded mourners who asked why authorities left an accused child rapist free to massacre a trio of promising young people.
Tears and grief gave way to anger and outrage at the funeral services for Deshon Harvey, 20, Terrance "T.J." Aeriel, 18, and Iofemi Hightower, 20, held at churches throughout the crime-stricken city still reeling from the senseless murders last week.

"We should not look for someone to blame. We should all take responsibility," Booker said, his voice booming through the Metropolitan Baptist Church.

"We should raise our children. We should all stand together.

Less than an hour later, at the service for Aeriel, Booker said, "I will not break, I will not bow, I will not give in. This issue will not define us."

Booker then apologized for not doing enough to protect the city's children.

"I want to repent to this church. I've made mistakes in this city," Booker said.

The mayor wasn't the only leader to apologize to mourners yesterday.

"I bring an apology that we did not prevent this tragedy," Newark Police Director Gary McCarthy said at Hightower's funeral, before vowing to bring all of the monsters who executed the college-bound teen to justice.

"If I personally have to chase people across the country and across the earth, I will," he said.

An emotional Gov. Jon Corzine was also repentant.

"We have failed our children," Corzine said.

But the politicians' apologies were little consolation for Hightower's father, Willie Garvin Jr., who broke down in sobs outside the church when asked about the bungling that allowed illegal immigrant Jose Carranza, 28, free to allegedly massacre his daughter.

"They better pray they keep them in jail and catch all of them," the devastated dad said. "They all need to pay.

"Don't let my child die in vain. I remember her smile. Remember all the good times. Remember all the good she did."

lorena.mongelli@nypost.com