Federal Judge Overturns Murder Conviction in Jam Master Jay Case: Karl Jordan Junior Walks FreeA federal judge has overturned the murder conviction of Karl Jordan Junior, one of the two men found guilty in the 2002 killing of Run-DMCs Jam Master Jay. Jason Mizell, the DJ known as Jam Master Jay, was shot in the head at his recording studio in Queens, New York. Jordan and Ronald Washington were charged in 2020 and convicted last year over a supposed $200,000 drug deal gone wrong. However, U.S. District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall ruled that prosecutors failed to prove Jordan had any motive tied to that drug deal, granting his motion for acquittal but denying a new trial request. Washingtons conviction stands, with the judge saying evidence showed he likely sought revenge after being cut out of a lucrative Baltimore deal. The case had gripped fans and investigators for over two decades, with an eyewitness finally identifying suspects during the trial and describing Mizells final moments. Prosecutors had pushed to use rap lyrics from the defendants that mentioned head shots, but the judge blocked them early on. Still, the trial painted a picture of greed and betrayal in hip-hops golden era. While Washingtons fate holds for now, Jordan walks free, leaving Jam Master Jays murder story far from fully closed after more than two decades.

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