More than 20 years after the tragic death of Jam Master Jay, the legendary DJ and producer of the iconic rap group Run-DMC, the two men accused of killing him are finally facing justice.
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According to TMZ, the murder trial for Ronald Washington and Karl Jordan Jr. is scheduled to begin on January 29, 2024, in a federal court in New York. The two suspects were arrested and indicted in August 2020, after a long and complex investigation that spanned nearly two decades.
Washington and Jordan Jr. are charged with murder while engaged in drug trafficking, in connection to the fatal shooting of Jam Master Jay, whose real name was Jason Mizell, on October 30, 2002. The prosecutors allege that the suspects conspired to kill Mizell over a dispute involving a cocaine deal.
The jury selection for the trial started last week and is expected to be completed by January 22. The process involves over 500 potential jurors, who have to answer a 49-page questionnaire that covers topics such as their knowledge of the case, their opinions on rap music and drug laws, and their exposure to media coverage.
The trial is expected to last several weeks and will feature testimonies from witnesses, experts, and law enforcement officials. The defense lawyers for Washington and Jordan Jr. have indicated that they will challenge the credibility and motives of the government's witnesses, some of whom are former associates of the suspects or Mizell.
Jam Master Jay was a pioneer and a legend in the hip hop world, as one of the founding members of Run-DMC, along with Joseph "Run" Simmons and Darryl "DMC" McDaniels. The group rose to fame in the 1980s and 1990s, with hits such as "It's Tricky", "Walk This Way", and "My Adidas". They were the first rap group to have a gold album, a platinum album, a multi-platinum album, and a Grammy nomination. They were also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009.
Mizell's death shocked and saddened the hip hop community and his fans around the world. He was 37 years old and left behind a wife and three children. His murder remained unsolved for years, until the breakthrough in 2020 that led to the arrests of Washington and Jordan Jr.
The trial will hopefully bring some closure and justice to Mizell's family, friends, and fans, who have been waiting for this day for a long time.
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