Jury finds 2 men guilty on all counts in Jam Master Jay murder trial

NEW YORK — A responsible verdict was reached Tuesday in the homicide trial for 2 males charged with killing Run-D.M.C. star Jam Grasp Jay.

The hip-hop icon, whose actual title was Jason Mizell, was gunned down in 2002 inside his music studio in Hollis, Queens.

Prosecutors stated Mizell’s godson, Karl Jordan Jr., and his childhood pal, Ronald Washington, killed the DJ after he reduce them out of a cocaine trafficking deal.

Whereas many celebrated the responsible verdict, others stated justice got here at a worth.

The jury spent three days deliberating one of the crucial elusive murders in hip-hop historical past.

“Though it appeared that the case had gone chilly and wouldn’t be solved, legislation enforcement by no means wavered in its dedication to deliver Mr. Mizell’s killers to justice,” U.S. Legal professional Breon Peace stated. “It is no thriller why it took so lengthy. Witnesses had been terrified that they’d be retaliated towards in the event that they cooperated with legislation enforcement.”

“It is undoubtedly a very long time coming,” stated Carlis Thompson, Mizell’s cousin. “Justice delayed shouldn’t be all the time justice denied.”

Eyewitnesses testified that Jordan murdered Mizell inside his studio on Oct. 30, 2002, whereas childhood pal Washington guarded the door with a gun.

However the month-long trial revealed elements of Mizell’s life that the hip-hop icon tried to maintain out of the general public eye — primarily his function in trafficking cocaine. Prosecutors stated when Mizell reduce Jordan and Washington out of a deal to promote coke in Baltimore, they conspired to kill him, with the assistance of a 3rd suspect, Jay Bryant.

Bryant was charged final 12 months. Prosecutors say he slipped into the studio and let Jordan and Washington in by way of a hearth escape.

Bryant has pleaded not responsible and can face a choose in a separate trial.

When requested if justice got here at a worth, Mizell’s cousin, Ryan Thompson, stated, “Sure. [I have] to reply sure as a result of I did not know both till I used to be informed. We wasn’t introduced up like that. That is not how we had been raised.”

Watch Jessica Moore’s report

Protection attorneys known as just one witness, a reminiscence knowledgeable, who testified to the crux of their case — the one issues connecting Jordan and Washington to Mizell’s homicide had been getting old reminiscences. The protection additionally tried to pin the homicide on Bryant, the one suspect whose DNA was discovered within the studio — on a hat situated beside Mizell’s physique.

Jacqueline Gonzalez, Jordan’s mom, stated, “My son had nothing to do with this crime,” Jordan’s mom, Jacqueline Gonzalez, stated Tuesday. “I am nonetheless devastated. I am unable to consider they discovered him– from all of the information that they received from this case, I am unable to consider that they discovered him responsible.”

Jordan, 40, and Washington, 59, face 20 years to life in federal jail. Protection attorneys have already vowed to attraction the conviction.

Whereas the loss of life penalty is feasible with these expenses, U.S. Legal professional Normal Merrick Garland final June directed Brooklyn federal prosecutors to not search it.

Extra from CBS Information