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Guilty plea in decades-old rap icon killing
A man has confessed to assisting in the 2002 murder of Run-DMC's Jam Master Jay, nearly 24 years after the hip-hop pioneer was fatally shot in his New York recording studio.
The crime and its aftermath
Jay Bryant, 52, pleaded guilty on Monday to aiding the ambush that killed Jason Mizell, the influential DJ better known as Jam Master Jay. Bryant told a federal judge he helped others enter the Queens studio where Mizell was shot in the head on October 30, 2002.
The killing stunned the music world, leading to the breakup of Run-DMC, the groundbreaking group Mizell formed with Joseph "Run" Simmons and Darryl "DMC" McDaniels. The trio's hits included It's Tricky, It's Like That, and their collaboration with Aerosmith, Walk This Way.
Forensic evidence and accomplices
Prosecutors said Bryant's DNA was found on a hat left inside the studio. He initially denied involvement after his 2023 indictment but admitted in court this week that he knew a gun would be used to kill the 37-year-old rapper. Bryant apologized but did not name other participants.
Two other men, Mizell's godson Karl Jordan Jr. and childhood friend Ronald Washington, were convicted in 2024 for orchestrating the murder. Prosecutors argued the killing was retaliation for being excluded from a $200,000 drug deal, though both men's lawyers denied their clients' involvement.
A judge overturned Jordan's conviction last year, ruling prosecutors failed to prove his motive. Washington is appealing his verdict.
How the ambush unfolded
According to prosecutors, Bryant helped Jordan and Washington bypass security by opening a rear fire door to the studio, avoiding the front entrance's buzzer system. The two men then ambushed Mizell inside.
Legal consequences
Bryant faces 15 to 20 years in prison for the murder and unrelated firearms and drug charges. Court documents filed last week indicated he was negotiating a plea deal with federal prosecutors, CBS News reported.
The case remained unsolved for nearly two decades until federal charges were filed against Bryant, Jordan, and Washington in 2023.
