By Forum Staff
On Tuesday, a federal jury in Brooklyn returned a guilty verdict against Karl Jordan,
Jr., and Ronald Washington for the Oct. 30, 2002, murder of Jason Mizell, also known as
“Jam Master Jay,” a member of the famed hip hop group Run-D.M.C.
Both defendants were charged with murder while engaged in a narcotics trafficking conspiracy and firearm-related murder for the fatal shooting of Mizell inside the victim’s recording studio in Hollis.
The verdict followed a four-week trial before United States District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall.
When sentenced, Jordan, 40, and Washington, 59, face a minimum of 20 years’ imprisonment and a maximum term of life imprisonment.
As proven at trial, between the 1990s and 2002, separate from his music career,
Mizell was involved in arranging for the sale of kilogram-quantities of cocaine in the Eastern District of New York and elsewhere. In August 2002, Mizell acquired approximately 10 kilograms of cocaine on consignment from a supplier based in California. The cocaine was intended to be distributed in Maryland by Washington, Jordan and other co-conspirators. A dispute between Washington and one of the co-conspirators in Baltimore resulted in Mizell cutting Washington and Jordan out of the Maryland drug deal worth almost $200,000. Following this betrayal, Washington and Jordan continued in the larger narcotics conspiracy until they could ultimately cut out Jason Mizell by murdering him on Oct. 30, 2002.
On Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2002, Mizell was present at his recording studio, “24/7,” located on Merrick Boulevard in Jamaica, playing a video game with a friend and reviewing paperwork with his business manager. At approximately 7:30 p.m., the defendants’ co-conspirator opened a locked fire escape exit door allowing Washington and Jordan to enter the building without being seen by Mizell. Jordan, who was the victim’s godson, and Washington went upstairs to the recording studio where Jordan greeted Mizell, who was sitting on the couch and initially appeared happy to see him. Things turned quickly, with Jordan pointing a gun at Mizell and firing two shots at close range. One shot hit Mizell in the head, killing him instantly. The second shot struck Mizell’s friend in the leg. Mizell’s business manager tried to flee and was met by Washington, who pointed a gun at her face and demanded that she lay on the floor. The three defendants fled the scene. The defendants variously made admissions to associates implicating themselves in the fatal shooting or bragging about being the shooter. For example, a witness who lived in a residence owned by Jordan’s father, testified that he overheard Jordan say that if Mizell “were still alive he would kill him again.” Washington’s former girlfriend testified that several days after the murder, he admitted killing Mizell.
Additionally at trial, Jordan was identified as the shooter by the individual who was shot in the leg, and Mizell’s business manager identified Washington as being present in the recording studio during the murder and pointing a firearm at her and ordering her to get down on the floor.
The co-conspirator who allowed the defendants to enter through the fire escape door will be tried separately for his role in Mizell’s murder in January 2026 and remains innocent until proven guilty. Jordan is also charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine distribution and will be tried on those counts at a later date.
