Jam Master Jay was allegedly killed over a drug deal.
The Run-DMC star, born Jason Mizell, was shot dead at 37 at his recording studio in Queens, New York, in October 2002. A New York jury has now heard the claim about the apparent motive behind his assassination in the trial of his godson Karl Jordan Jr., who, along with his friend Ronald Washington, is standing accused of killing the DJ.
According to The Sun, prosecutors said during the Jan. 29 trial that the pair – who deny the murder — carried out what was called an “execution” as revenge after they were cut out of a drug deal worth nearly $200,000.
Jordan was 18 at the time and is said to have shot Jay in the head with a handgun.
Jay — one-third of hip-hop group Run-DMC with Joseph Simmons, aka Run, and Darryl McDaniels, known as DMC — is said to have been a middleman in cocaine deals to fund his lifestyle as his music career started to fade.
Jurors also heard Washington, who was staying with Jay’s sister at the time of his murder, was an alcoholic and relied on Jay to keep a roof over his head.
Jordan’s defense attorney, John Diaz, said some prosecution witnesses cooperated with federal investigators in exchange for leniency in their own criminal cases.
Washington’s defense lawyer, Ezra Spilke, said there is no forensic evidence linking him to the murder.
“Mizell was a beloved artist, but convicting the wrong person … does not solve the tragedy. It just adds another one to it,” he told the jury.
The trial continues and is expected to last another month.
