U.S. District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall overturned Karl “Little D” Jordan Jr.’s conviction in the 2002 killing of Jam Master Jay, finding prosecutors failed to prove Jordan was motivated by a failed Baltimore drug deal. The judge said trial evidence placed Jordan in the drug conspiracy but that the government’s motive theory was speculative. The court denied co-defendant Ronald Washington’s motions for acquittal and a new trial, and Jay Bryant — whose DNA was linked to a hat at the scene — remains charged with a trial set for May. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is reviewing the decision.
Federal Judge Overturns Conviction Of Man Sentenced In Jam Master Jay Murder
Jam Master Jay. (Robert Knight Archive / Redferns via Getty Images file)
A federal judge on Friday overturned the conviction of Karl “Little D” Jordan Jr., who had been convicted in February 2024 of taking part in the 2002 murder of Jason William Mizell — the hip-hop DJ known as Jam Master Jay of Run-DMC. U.S. District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall granted Jordan’s motion for a judgment of acquittal, finding the government failed to prove he was motivated by a failed Baltimore drug deal.
Key Ruling
Judge Hall’s 29-page opinion concluded that, while trial evidence placed Jordan within the broader drug-trafficking conspiracy at the time of Mizell’s death, the prosecution did not demonstrate that Jordan killed Mizell out of retaliation tied to the Baltimore distribution scheme. The judge said the government’s theories about Jordan’s drug-related motive were "impermissibly speculative and just conjecture," and that Jordan met the demanding standard for acquittal under Rule 29.
“There is simply no evidence suggesting that Jordan felt cheated by the failure of the Baltimore deal, was disappointed by the proceeds he received from the conspiracy, or sought to steal cocaine from Mizell, much less motivated to kill Mizell because of these reasons,” Judge Hall wrote.
Evidence Presented At Trial
Prosecutors argued the killing was revenge after Jordan and co-defendant Ronald Washington were cut out of a cocaine distribution arrangement tied to a Baltimore deal. Trial testimony included eyewitness accounts: Uriel “Tony” Rincon testified that Jordan fired the fatal shot, and Lydia High said she saw a man with a neck tattoo — consistent with Jordan — greet Mizell before shots rang out. High also said Washington forced her to the ground at gunpoint when she tried to flee.
Jordan, who was 18 at the time of the shooting, has long maintained he was at his girlfriend’s home the night Mizell was killed; his lawyers say witnesses can corroborate that alibi.
Co-Defendants And Remaining Case
The judge denied Ronald Washington’s motions for acquittal and for a new trial, finding the record contained evidence from which a jury could reasonably infer Washington had been excluded from the Baltimore deal and sought retaliation. Jay Bryant, a third defendant, has pleaded not guilty and remains charged. Investigators recovered a hat at the crime scene containing Bryant’s DNA, and defense counsel pointed to testimony from Bryant’s uncle that Bryant confessed in earlier years. Bryant’s trial is scheduled for May.
Next Steps
A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York said the office was reviewing Friday’s decision. Jordan’s acquittal on Counts One and Two is currently the subject of the court’s conditional ruling; the judge denied his motion for a new trial. The legal process for the remaining defendants continues as prosecutors assess whether to appeal or retry aspects of the case.
Background: Mizell was fatally shot inside his Queens recording studio on Oct. 30, 2002. The slaying shocked the hip-hop community and went unsolved for nearly two decades until recent arrests and federal prosecution.
Originally published on NBCNews.com.
