Run-DMC's Jam Master Jay 2002 Murder Trial Reaches Verdict

Karl Jordan Jr. and Ronald Washington were found guilty of murdering Run-DMC's Jam Master Jay in 2002 by a federal jury in Brooklyn on Tuesday, February 27.

Throughout the 3-week trial, at least 30 witnesses claimed Jordan Jr., 40, and Washington, 59, plotted the rapper's death following a disagreement about a cocaine deal. The two men face a minimum of 20 years behind bars. The maximum sentence is life in prison.

A witness by the name of Uriel "Tony" Rincon personally identified Jordan Jr. as the shooter in his testimony.

"I heard a couple of shots. I see Jay fall because his back was to me at the time. As Jay was falling, I saw Jordan shrug him off of him," he told the court at the time.

However, the defense only called one witness — a memory expert named Geoffrey Loftus — who attempted to discredit the other witnesses' version of the events, noting that after many years, "People’s mental functioning including the ability to memorize appearance of people around them is diminished."

Prosecutors countered some of the witnesses did not speak up until nearly 15 years later because they were "afraid" of repercussions and "didn't want to be involved," going so far as to move out of the state to "get away from all of this."

During closing arguments, Assistant U.S. Attorney Artie McConnell implored the jury to consider the evidence and come to a guilty verdict.

"This case is not complicated. It’s about greed, it’s about money, it’s about jealousy," McConnell declared to the court earlier this month. "It may have been 20 years, but they have not forgotten."

"Twenty years is a long time to wait for justice," he continued. "Twenty years is long enough. Don’t let this go on another minute."

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As OK! previously reported, back in 2016, Jay's older brother, Marvin Thompson, said he would just like to "know the truth" about what happened to his younger sibling that night.

"You hear so many different speculations — drugs, jealousy," he added. "I need to know who and why. That’s the major answer right there. Then I can have peace in my spirit."

Jam Master Jay — born Jason William Mizell — is remembered for forming the New York hip hop group Run-DMC in 1983 alongside Joseph Simmons and Darryl McDaniels.

They were recognized for hit tracks such as "King of Rock", "It's Tricky" and "Christmas in Hollis.