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Two men who were charged with the death of Hip-Hop icon Jam Master Jay were found guilty of his murder in federal court.
On Tuesday afternoon (February 27), a jury found Karl Jordan Jr. and Ronald Washington guilty of the murder of Jason Mizell, better known as Jam Master Jay, the DJ of the legendary Hip-Hop group Run DMC. Jam Master Jay was slain inside a recording studio on Merrick Boulevard in Jamaica, Queens on October 30, 2002. Jordan, who is the DJ’s godson, was charged with firing the fatal shot into Mizell’s head. The verdict came after three days of deliberation by the jury, who found both men guilty on all charges, bringing closure to one of the most elusive unresolved murders in Hip-Hop.
“Although it appeared the case would go cold, law enforcement never wavered in its effort to bring justice,” U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said after the verdict in a statement. “It’s no mystery why it took so long. Witnesses were terrified that they would be retaliated against if they cooperated with law enforcement.” Prosecutors had presented 35 witnesses including Jam Master Jay’s closest friends and one associate who testified to his being involved in cocaine trafficking, and two important individuals in Lydia High and Tony Rincon who witnessed the killing. High worked for Jam Master Jay’s record label and was held at gunpoint by Washington, while Rincon was shot in the leg as the two assailants ambushed him. Both had denied knowing what happened in the past, citing intimidation from Jordan and his family. “Time solved this case,” said prosecutor Mark Misorek.
The murder took place after Jordan and Washington got cut out of a deal that Jam Master Jay had arranged with a dealer in Baltimore, Maryland reportedly worth over $100,000 to distribute cocaine. Both men potentially face 20 years in prison after being convicted. Attorney General Merrick Garland had instructed prosecutors to avoid seeking the death penalty. A third man, Jay Bryant, is set to face trial in 2026. Bryant is believed to be the man who let Jordan and Washington in through a locked fire exit after he came in through the front. When asked if justice came with a price, Jam Master Jay’s cousin Ryan Thompson replied: “Yes. [I have] to answer yes because I didn’t know either until I was told. We wasn’t brought up like that. That’s not how we were raised.”