‘The Finale’ for Merciless is September 15 and 17

A two-day celebration of life, billed 'The Finale', is on the cards for veteran deejay Leonard 'Merciless' Bartley, who passed away on July 19.

However, details of the activities reveal that everything will be confined to Clarendon where Merciless was born, with nothing in Kingston, where his former manager had revealed big plans.

On September 15, there will be a viewing at the St Gabriel's Anglican Church Hall, 10 Church Street in May Pen, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. A prayer meeting, tributes and reflection are scheduled for Turners district from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and the wake is scheduled to start at 9 p.m.

The thanksgiving service takes place on Saturday, September 17, at St Gabriel's, starting at 10 a.m. Interment follows at the family plot in Turners district. Audrey E Williams Funeral Services are the undertakers.

Merciless' manager, Harvel 'Gadaffie' Hart, however, had planned to give the deejay an out-of-this-world send-off in Kingston starting on September 15 with a 'set up' at the popular Dumbarton Avenue-based studio, Mixing Lab. Stone Love sound system, which was instrumental in Merciless' career, was scheduled to pay tribute to the 'Warhead', with Merciless' colleagues all lined up to be marked present.

"I am still trying to do something for Leonard in Kingston, but I have to respect the wishes of the family," Gadaffie told THE WEEKEND STAR. "Tommy Thompson from Brite Lite [funeral home] is ready to go, and everything is in place should the family give us the consent."

Among Thompson's plans were for a procession through the streets of Kingston as well as a viewing of artiste's body at Mixing Lab on Friday, September 16.

"As it is right now, there is nothing happening on the Friday, so there is still some hope. Everyone can't make it to Clarendon, and a big part of Merciless' life was in Kingston, so we want to give these persons a chance to say a proper goodbye. I am waiting to get a final answer," Gadaffie said.

Merciless was found unresponsive inside a guest house off Beechwood Avenue in St Andrew on July 19. An autopsy was deemed inconclusive, leading Gadaffie to repeat his claims that Merciless died of a broken heart because he was not treated properly in the music industry.

- Y.P.