Judge Overturns Conviction of Karl Jordan Jr. in Jam Master Jay Murder Case
A federal judge has overturned the murder conviction of Karl Jordan Jr., one of two men found guilty last year in the 2002 killing of Jam Master Jay, marking a major development in one of hip-hop’s longest-running criminal cases.
On Friday, U.S. District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall ruled that prosecutors failed to present sufficient evidence to support Jordan’s conviction, according to Associated Press. Jordan had been convicted in February 2024 alongside Ronald Washington for the murder of the Run-DMC DJ, whose real name was Jason Mizell. Judge DeArcy Hall determined that while there was testimony placing Jordan at the scene, the government did not adequately establish a motive tying him to the killing.
In contrast, the judge denied Washington’s motions for acquittal and for a new trial, finding that the evidence against him met the legal threshold. As reported by The New York Times, the court concluded that prosecutors successfully proved Washington’s role in the crime.
During the trial, the government’s theory centered on a narcotics-related dispute. Prosecutors alleged that Mizell had become involved in cocaine trafficking after the commercial peak of Run-DMC, and that Washington was cut out of a drug deal at Mizell’s direction. According to the government, that exclusion motivated Washington to seek revenge, ultimately leading to Mizell’s death. Jordan, who is Mizell’s godson, was accused of participating in the plot.
A key witness, Uriel “Tony” Rincon, testified that he saw Jordan fire the fatal shot inside Mizell’s Queens recording studio. However, Judge DeArcy Hall ruled that the testimony, standing alone, was not sufficient to support the broader narrative prosecutors presented. In her decision, she found that the government failed to sufficiently connect Jordan to the alleged motive behind the crime, undermining the case against him.
Jordan had been awaiting sentencing and was facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison. He remains in custody at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center, though it was unclear at the time of publication when he might be released following the ruling. Jordan is still facing a separate federal charge related to conspiracy to distribute cocaine; no trial date has yet been set in that case.
“On behalf of Mr. Jordan and his family, today’s decision brings a measure of solace as they approach the holiday season,” Jordan’s attorney, John Diaz, told Rolling Stone. A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Justice said the ruling is under review but declined further comment.
Representatives for Run-DMC did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for Mizell’s sons, Jesse and T.J., who have previously spoken publicly about the case, also did not respond.
The murder of Jam Master Jay remained unsolved for nearly two decades before federal prosecutors brought charges in 2020, accusing Jordan and Washington of committing the killing “while engaged in a narcotics trafficking conspiracy and firearm-related murder.” The case has long been viewed as a critical test of the government’s ability to resolve one of hip-hop culture’s most painful and enduring tragedies.
Friday’s ruling underscores the high evidentiary bar required in federal murder prosecutions and reopens questions about accountability in the death of one of the genre’s most influential figures.
