Jury finds 2 men guilty of killing Run-DMC icon Jam Master Jay

BROOKLYN (CN) — A New York City jury convicted two men of killing hip-hop legend Jam Master Jay in connection with narcotics trafficking on Thursday.

Jam Master Jay, whose real name is Jason “Jay” Mizell, was shot and killed in his Queens recording studio on Oct. 30, 2002. Prosecutors claimed Karl Jordan Jr. and Ronald Washington conspired in the hit against the Run-DMC DJ after a drug deal went sour.

The 12-person jury convicted Jordan and Washington on all counts — murder while engaged in narcotics trafficking and firearm-related murder.

Jurors deliberated for approximately three days before reaching their verdict Tuesday afternoon. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled.

Federal prosecutors say Mizell was in the process of “setting up” Jordan and Washington to sell drugs outside of Baltimore, but the deal didn’t go as planned. Ralph Mullgrav, a Baltimore-based drug dealer, testified during the trial that he refused to work with Washington.  According to prosecutors, Washington and Jordan expected to make about $200,000 from this deal.

Prosecutors painted this picture of the night Mizell was killed: Washington stood by the door and used a gun to order Mizell’s business manager, Lydia High, to the ground. After Jordan fired the shots, killing Mizell and injuring his friend Tony Rincon’s leg, the pair ran out the back entrance.

“Y’all just killed two innocent people,” Washington yelled out as U.S. marshals escorted him and Jordan back into custody.

“I love y’all,” Jordan yelled to his family in the gallery, who shouted it back. As the defendants were led out of the courtroom, family and loved ones in the courtroom continued to yell.

“The feds paid these witnesses to lie,” one woman related to Jordan said.

U.S. District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall asked U.S. marshals to escort the woman out but, as they grabbed for her, more members of the gallery jumped up and crowded around. In a swarm, the family members were led out of the courtroom and the doors were shut behind them.

Defense attorneys for Jordan and Washington said they plan to file a Rule 29 motion for insufficient evidence.

“We’re disappointed in the verdict. It’s not over … we have another motion we’ll be filing,” John Diaz, Jordan’s attorney, told Courthouse News.

Susan Kellman, Washington’s attorney, said she believes in her client and was disappointed in the verdict.

“We’re very optimistic about the future,” Kellman said. “I very rarely try a case and walk out and think ‘My client didn’t do this.’”

Breon Peace, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, praised the verdict Tuesday.

“We cannot and should not accept the victimization and killing of members of our communities,” Peace said. “And with the trust between law enforcement in the community that we’re always working hard to build, we could solve more cases like this.”

Peace also took a moment to recognize that March marks the 40th anniversary of Run-DMC’s song about Mizell, entitled “Jam Master Jay.”

“Mr. Mizell reached the highest heights of fame through trailblazing music and trendsetting style,” Peace said. “Tragically, his life was cut short as a result of greed and revenge.”

Carlis Thompson, Mizell’s cousin, spoke to reporters after the verdict and said he was relieved after years of “listening to tea leaves” and reading news reports about his cousin’s murder.

“I can breathe. I can breathe now,” Thompson said. “I never experienced anything like this before, so it was really nerve-wracking. I’m nervous right now.”

Thompson was accompanied by his brother, Ryan Thompson. Both said they had attended the whole five-week trial.

At trial, prosecutors pointed to several instances in which Washington and Jordan confessed to the murder in some respect. According to witness testimony, Washington told both his girlfriend at the time and a fellow inmate at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn that he was involved in Mizell’s murder.

Jordan’s former roommate, Cherubin Bastien, also testified that he overheard Jordan tell a friend, “If I got to kill him, I’ll kill him again,” in reference to Mizell.

Prosecutors say the pair were able to enter the building unnoticed because a third assailant — Jay Bryant — let them in through a back entrance. Bryant was indicted last year but will be tried separately.

But Susan Kellman, Washington’s attorney, said it was absurd that Bryant would be involved just to hold the door open.

“Why would anybody put their lives at risk for the purpose of a door jamb? To be a door jamb?” Kellman said during closings.

Defense attorneys argued that Bryant, not their clients, killed Mizell.

“Who is Jay Bryant? Jay Bryant is literally reasonable doubt in this case,” Michael Hueston, Jordan’s attorney, said during closing arguments.

Attorneys for Washington and Jordan both pointed to a confession Bryant made to his uncle, Raymond Bryant, who testified that his nephew said he killed Mizell after the hip-hop DJ reached for his gun.

Defense attorneys also pointed to a hat found at the crime scene that investigators later identified as having Bryant’s DNA.

The defendants now face a minimum of 20 years and a maximum of life in prison. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland directed the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York not to seek the death penalty.

The jury for the trial was anonymous, following a belated request from prosecutors that pushed the proceedings back by nearly a year.

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