Jury selection for the murder trial of iconic DJ Jam Master Jay, born Jason Mizell, has begun. The trial involves two men, Karl Jordan Jr. and Ronald Washington, accused of participating in the October 2002 murder of Jam Master Jay in his recording studio in Queens.
According to authorities, the murder resulted from an alleged drug deal gone awry. Mizell had reportedly informed Washington that he would no longer be part of a proposed cocaine distribution network. Outraged by this decision, Washington, Jordan Jr., and a third man, Jay Bryant, allegedly entered the studio on October 30, 2002. Jordan Jr. is accused of firing two shots, fatally striking Jam Master Jay in the head and injuring another individual in the leg.
Acting United States Attorney Seth DuCharme stated, “The defendants allegedly carried out the cold-blooded murder of Jason Mizell, a brazen act that has finally caught up with them thanks to the dedicated detectives, agents, and prosecutors who never gave up on this case.”
In 2021, it was announced that the defendants would not face the death penalty if convicted, with the prosecution seeking a sentence of life imprisonment.
In 2023, Jay Bryant, who had admitted to his role in the murder, was charged after DNA evidence linked him to the crime scene. Bryant will be tried separately from Jordan Jr. and Washington.
Opening statements for the trial are set to begin on Monday, January 29, in Brooklyn Federal Court. The case has garnered attention due to its connection to the influential DJ’s death and the impact it had on the hip-hop community.