Man plans to plead guilty in killing of Run-DMC's Jam Master Jay. 2
other men went to trial
[April 17, 2026]
By JENNIFER PELTZ
One of the three men charged in the killing of Jam Master Jay plans to
plead guilty, court records show, in what would be the first admission
anyone has made in court to any role in the Run-DMC star's 2002 death.
Jay Bryant pleaded not guilty to murder after his 2023 indictment, but
his lawyer and federal prosecutors told the court in recent letters that
they were negotiating a plea agreement.
A court docket entry Thursday indicated that Bryant intends to change
his plea, without saying anything about the charge or conduct to which
he might admit or the punishment he might expect. No date was set for a
change of plea, and prosecutors declined to comment; a message was sent
to Bryant’s attorney.
The notice isn't an irreversible commitment, and defendants can change
their minds about pleading guilty even as they're sitting in court.
If Bryant goes through with the plea, it could bring a measure of both
closure and complexity to the already convoluted case. Co-defendants
Karl Jordan Jr. and Ronald Washington were convicted by a jury, but
Jordan was later cleared by a judge — and Bryant has been something of
an outlier.
He was indicted nearly three years after the others, when authorities
said Bryant's DNA was found on a hat in the music studio where Jam
Master Jay was gunned down. Born Jason Mizell, he was the DJ in Run-DMC,
crafting beats and scratches that helped propel rap into music’s
mainstream in the 1980s. The trio's hits included “It’s Tricky” and a
take on Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way.”
By the time the DNA was allegedly matched to Bryant, prosecutors had
long since articulated a theory that Jordan and Washington — both of
whom were close to Mizell — went after him out of anger over a failed
drug deal. According to prosecutors and trial witnesses, Jordan shot the
DJ while Washington blocked the door during the shooting and ordered one
of Mizell's to get on the ground. Both men denied the allegations.
[to top of second column]
|
In this Feb. 22, 2002 file photo made in Los Angeles, the late Rap
legend Jam Master Jay, is shown. (AP Photo/Krista Niles, File)
 Jordan was Mizell's grandson, and
Washington was one of the DJ's childhood friends. Bryant, by
contrast, had little if any connection to the rap star. He knew
someone in common with Jordan and Washington, according to testimony
at their trial, but it was unclear whether Bryant had ever met
Mizell.
After the alleged DNA match, prosecutors contended
that Bryant had slipped into the studio building and opened a back
fire door so that Washington and Jordan could avoid buzzing up and
could ambush the DJ.
Meanwhile, Bryant’s uncle claimed that his nephew told him he shot
Mizell after the artist reached for a gun. No other witnesses even
placed Bryant in the studio, however, and prosecutors differed with
the uncle's account, even though he was their witness . Instead,
they suggested that Bryant touched the hat and then Jordan or
Washington carried it into the studio and dropped it.
Neither Washington's nor Jordan's DNA was found on the hat,
according to court papers.
One of Jordan’s lawyers, Michael Hueston, argued that the charges
against Bryant raised reasonable doubt about the case against
Jordan. Jordan's conviction ultimately was overturned for unrelated
reasons.
Bryant, now 52, was jailed on federal drug and gun charges when he
was indicted in Mizell's death. He has since pleaded guilty in the
drug and firearm case and is awaiting sentencing.
All contents © copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved |
