The alleged shooter, Karl Jordan Jr., in the previously-cold case murder of Jam Master Jay is requesting for his indictment to be dismissed or at least a separate trial from his rumored co-assailant, Ronald Washington, based on an article from a 2003 issue of Playboy titled “The Last Days of Jam Master Jay.”
Lawyers representing Jordan filed a new motion on Monday (April 11) stating that the murder charges should be dropped since the government took too long to indict him in August 2020. Federal authorities claim Jordan broke into the slain DJ’s Queens studio on Oct. 30, 2002 and shot him execution-style in his head over a cocaine deal that went south.
According to Rolling Stone, Jordan’s lawyers added that in light of the delayed indictment, it’s too late to obtain “beeper records” and additional “objective evidence” that reportedly supports his alibi. Furthermore, the location of a possible key eyewitness is currently unknown. If a judge opts to move forward with the trial, his lawyers are requesting he be tried separately from Washington who allegedly spoke on the case in the aforementioned article.
Washington is quoted as saying he witnessed Jordan fleeing the scene on the night of the musician’s murder after hearing three gunshots. He referred to Jordan and Jordan’s father as “Little D” and “Big D” respectively in his conversation while imprisoned over a robbery.
“I’m positive it was Little D. I looked him right in his face before he ran off. Little D told me, ‘My pops wasn’t supposed to shoot Jay. That wasn’t supposed to happen,’” he said. Lawyers stated that Washington’s presumed status would be a non-testifying co-defendant, thus barring Jordan from cross-examining his implication.
“It is anticipated that the government will seek to use Washington’s statements to prove its case against both men. There is no question that the statement by Washington accusing Mr. Jordan of being present at the scene of the murder incriminates Mr. Jordan, the non-declarant, which necessitates severance. Additionally, the statement by Washington is testimonial in nature and without an opportunity to cross-examine Washington, a joint trial and the admission of this statement clearly violates Mr. Jordan’s Sixth Amendment right, which—at a minimum—necessitates its exclusion,” they added.
Washington’s lawyer Susan G. Kellman filed a separate dismissal motion on Sunday (April 10), saying, “The government has known about the crime since 2002 and has been convinced that Mr. Washington committed the murder since at least 2006. This uniquely long pre-indictment delay violates fundamental conceptions of justice and due process.”