After more than two decades, two men have been found guilty for the murder of Jam Master Jay, a former member of the hip-hop group Run-DMC. The verdict was announced on Tuesday, February 28th, following a four-week long federal trial in Brooklyn, New York. Karl Jordan Jr and Ronald Washington were indicted in 2020 and have now been convicted of killing Jason Mizell, also known as Jam Master Jay.
Jason Mizell was shot and killed at his New York record studio on October 30, 2002. He was 37 years of age at the time of his death. The murder remained unsolved for over twenty years, despite several arrests and theories concerning the identity of the perpetrators. Jordan and Washington, who were also childhood friends and the godson of Mizell, were charged with a ten-count indictment. The prosecutors charged them with “murdering Jam Master Jay in cold blood” as revenge for being excluded from a $200,000 drug deal.
According to Sky News, Jam Master Jay had turned to dealing cocaine to finance his music career, despite Run-DMC’s otherwise public disapproval of drugs. The prosecutors presented a combination of witnesses and forensic evidence to charge both men for the murder. They both pleaded not guilty, and their defense lawyer called the accuracy of the eyewitness testimony into question after such a long time. However, after being free for over twenty years, they were eventually caught and found guilty of the crime.
The witnesses at the recording studios knew the killers, but they were afraid of retaliation if they cooperate. Breon Peace, the US attorney for the Eastern District of New York, praised the witnesses for their bravery. He said that “their strength and resilience in testifying at this trial were a triumph of right over wrong and courage over fear.” Jordan and Washington have yet to be sentenced, but they are expected to be handed twenty years in jail. A third accomplice, Jay Bryant, was also arrested and is set to stand trial in 2026
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