Third Suspect Charged in Jam Master Jay Killing
There has been another arrest in the killing of Run-D.M.C.’s legendary DJ, Jam Master Jay.
According to NBC News, another person has been indicted in the killing of the popular DJ. 49-year-old Jay Bryant has been charged in the murder of Jason Mizell (Jam Master Jay’s real name). This news comes almost three years after two other men, Karl Jordan Jr. and Ronald Washington were charged in the shooting that took place over 20 years ago in 2002 at Jay’s studio in Queens, NY. Jordan and Washington previously pleaded not guilty.
The indictment discloses that Bryant was engaged in narcotics trafficking when the murder occurred, according to a superseding indictment filed in New York’s Eastern District. He is also facing a firearms charge. Bryant is being held on unrelated federal drug charges and is expected to be arraigned later, a spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office revealed.
The prosecutor’s office stated that Bryant was seen going into Jay’s recording studio right before the shooting took place on Oct. 20, 2002. A detention memo states that his DNA was on a piece of clothing that was left at the scene.
Bryant allegedly admitted to an associate that he was the person who shot and killed Jay, but according to the memo, there is doubt about it. There will be evidence presented at an upcoming trial that will show that Jordan was the one who fired twice from close range.
One of the shots hit someone else in the leg, and after Jay was hit in the head, Bryant, Jordan, and Washington left the scene.
“Mr. Bryant will be pleading not guilty,” Bryant’s attorney Cesar de Castro stated in an email. “Securing an indictment in a secret grand jury, applying an extremely low burden of proof, is one thing. Proving it at trial is another matter.”
Jay was the DJ in the groundbreaking hip-hop group, Run-D.M.C. that started in the Hollis section of Queens, The trio was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2009.