One of the three men charged in the 2002 killing of Jam Master Jay is planning to plead guilty, according to court documents. Jay Bryant, who was indicted in 2023, initially pleaded not guilty but has since entered negotiations with federal prosecutors for a plea agreement. A court docket entry indicates his intention to change his plea, though details of the charge or potential sentence remain undisclosed.
If Bryant follows through, it would be the first admission of involvement in the death of the Run-DMC star, whose real name was Jason Mizell. Co-defendants Karl Jordan Jr and Ronald Washington were convicted by a jury in 2024, but Jordan’s conviction was later overturned by a judge. Bryant’s plea could bring some closure to a case that has seen numerous twists over more than two decades.
Prosecutors allege that Bryant’s DNA was found on a hat at the music studio where Jam Master Jay was shot dead. According to their theory, Bryant entered the building and opened a fire door, allowing Jordan and Washington to ambush the DJ. Bryant had little connection to the rap star, unlike Jordan, who was Jay’s godson, and Washington, a childhood friend.
Bryant’s uncle claimed his nephew told him he shot Jay after the artist reached for a gun. However, prosecutors disagreed with this account and suggested that Bryant touched the hat, which was then carried into the studio by Jordan or Washington. Neither of their DNA was found on the hat, according to court papers.
Bryant, now 52, was already in jail on federal drug and gun charges when he was indicted for Jay’s murder. He has since pleaded guilty in that case and is awaiting sentencing.
