Man pleads guilty to murder of Run-DMC’s Jam Master Jay
A man has pleaded guilty to the murder of hip-hop legend Jam Master Jay following his death in 2002.
The Run-DMC member died on October 30th, 2002, at the age of 37 after being shot at his recording studio in Queens, New York.
According to The Guardian, 52-year-old Jay Bryant pleaded guilty to his role in the killing of the musician on April 27th. Bryant told the judge that he helped people get into a recording studio to ambush the DJ.
“I knew a gun was going to be used to shoot [Jam Master Jay],” he admitted. “I knew that what I was doing was wrong and a crime.”
Bryant faces a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 20 years in prison for his crimes.
Speaking on the guilty plea, US Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr said, “More than two decades after the cold-blooded, execution-style killing of [Jam Master Jay], an exhaustive investigation revealed Bryant’s role and today he finally admitted his guilt.”
He added, “The prosecutors in our Office and our law enforcement partners never give up, no matter how long it takes, in the pursuit of justice for the victim and the victim’s family.”
Karl Jordan Jr and Ronald Washington were convicted of his murder in 2024, but a judge recently cleared Jordan. The incident saw Bryant open a locked door to allow Jordan and Washington to enter the building discreetly. Jordan fired two shots at Jam Master Jay, striking him with a fatal bullet to the head.
ATF New York Special Agent in Charge, Bryan DiGirolamo, spoke more about the determination to get to the bottom of the murder.
“Justice in the murder of Jam Master Jay has been pursued with determination and resolve for more than two decades,” he said. “The defendant’s role in facilitating access for the killers was integral to this crime. Today’s guilty plea reflects the dedication of law enforcement and prosecutors who never stopped working to bring accountability for the victim and his family.”
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