Third man charged over the 2002 murder of Run-D.M.C.’s Jam Master Jay

A third man was charged this week over the fatal shooting of Run-D.M.C. DJ Jam Master Jay in 2002.

The unsolved murder case of Jam Master Jay - real name Jason Mizell - has been ongoing for two decades.

Mizell was shot dead at his recording studio in Jamaica, a neighbourhood in New York City's Queens borough, aged 37.

This week, Jay Bryant - a 49-year-old from Queens - was charged with murder while already in custody awaiting trial on a separate drug-related indictment.

Before this, in August 2020, Ronald Washington and Karl Jordan Jr. were indicted for their alleged roles in the death of Mizell.

Jordan Jr. had previously served a prison sentence for shooting Mizell’s nephew.

According to NME, the three face murder and drug charges which they have all pleaded not guilty to and are due to face trial in January 2024.

Court documents filed on Tuesday published by The Washington Post allege that the three defendants were at Mizell’s studio on the day of his murder.

The investors wrote that Washington ordered someone in the studio to get Mizell outside before Jordan shot Mizell twice at close range, with one shot fatally hitting him in the head.

Bryant’s lawyer, César de Castro, said to The Washington Post that his client would plead not guilty.

“Securing an indictment in a secret grand jury, applying an extremely low burden of proof, is one thing,” de Castro said. “Proving it at trial is another matter.”

He added: “However, we remain confused why, after more than 20 years and charging two individuals three years ago, does the government now allegedly think that they have sufficient evidence to charge Mr. Bryant.”

Becky Buckle is Mixmag's Multimedia Editor, follow her on Twitter