Judge Overturns DJ Jam Master Jay Murder Conviction

DJ Jam Master Jay of Run-DMC fame was shot and killed in Queens at his studio in 2002, sending shockwaves throughout the music industry. Back in 2024, Karl Jordan Jr., DJ Jam Master Jay’s godson, was convicted of the crime, but a federal judge overturned the conviction, citing that the prosecution didn’t sufficiently prove a motive.

As reported by the Associated Press, U.S. District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall ruled that government prosecutors did not have enough proof to pin the murder of DJ Jam Master Jay, real name Jason Mizell, on Jordan

Prosecutors claimed that Ronald Washington, a close friend of Mizell’s, and Jordan carried out the crime because they were allegedly cut out of a drug deal. Jordan was named as the gunman who fired the fatal shot that felled Mizell. Judge Hall denied Washington a motion for acquittal, writing in her ruling that the government was able to connect a motive.

An eyewitness stated that they saw Jordan pull the trigger, and another person who lived in Jordan’s residence claimed that he confessed to the killing. However, Jordan’s legal team was able to prove that the reported motive involving a drug deal didn’t connect to their client.

In Hall’s 29-page ruling, she reasoned that Washington had a motive to carry out the killing but couldn’t see where Jordan fit into the scheme.

“A jury could reasonably infer that Washington was excluded from a potentially lucrative Baltimore deal and sought to retaliate against Mizell for his exclusion,” Judge Hall wrote. [But] “from what evidence, then, could the jury have reasonably inferred that Jordan sought to retaliate against Mizell for the failure of the Baltimore deal? There was none.”

A third man, Jay Bryant, was charged with killing Mizell in 2023 and has pleaded guilty and awaits a trial.

DJ Jam Master Jay was 37 at the time of his passing and was operating JMJ Records, which signed Onyx, 50 Cent, and Jayo Felony.

—

Photo: Getty