A federal judge in Brooklyn has overturned the murder conviction of one of the two men found guilty of the 2002 killing of Run-DMC's legendary DJ, Jam Master Jay. The ruling, delivered on Friday 19 December 2025, throws a major part of the long-awaited case back into uncertainty.
Judge Rules Evidence Lacked Motive
U.S. District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall granted Karl Jordan Jr. an acquittal on the murder charges, nearly two years after a jury found him guilty. In her ruling, Judge Hall stated that there was insufficient evidence to prove Jordan had a motive to kill the hip-hop luminary.
Prosecutors had argued that Jordan, who was the godson of Jam Master Jay, born Jason Mizell, carried out the shooting as revenge for a botched drug deal. An eyewitness had testified to seeing Jordan fire the fatal shot inside Mizell's Queens recording studio on 30 October 2002. However, Jordan's defence team successfully contended that the evidence did not support this narrative.
"We are really happy for Mr. Jordan and his family that justice was served," said his attorney, John Diaz, in an email statement.
Case Continues for Co-Defendant
While Jordan's conviction was voided, the judge separately denied a bid for acquittal or a new trial from his co-defendant, Ronald Washington. This means Washington's conviction in the case currently stands.
It is important to note that Karl Jordan Jr. has not yet been released from custody. He remains behind bars awaiting trial on separate drug charges from years after the killing, for which he had not been sentenced.
A Legacy of Hip-Hop History
Jam Master Jay was a foundational figure in bringing hip-hop to global prominence. As the DJ for Run-DMC, he helped propel the genre into the mainstream in the 1980s with seminal tracks like "It's Tricky" and the groundbreaking collaboration with Aerosmith on "Walk This Way."
His murder in his own studio sent shockwaves through the music world and remained one of hip-hop's most notorious cold cases for nearly two decades before the 2023 trial. This latest judicial decision ensures the complex legal saga surrounding his death continues.
