NEW YORK – In a dramatic legal twist, a judge on Friday overturned the conviction of one of the two men implicated in the 2002 murder of Jam Master Jay, the iconic DJ from the legendary hip-hop group Run-D.M.C. The judge ruled that insufficient evidence existed to prove the man’s motive in the high-profile case.

This unexpected development injects further complexity into a case that has long puzzled the music industry and investigators alike. For nearly 20 years, the murder of Jam Master Jay remained unsolved until authorities made two arrests in 2020. The 2024 convictions were initially celebrated as a long-overdue resolution for the tragic and influential loss in the world of rap.

U.S. District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall, who presided over the original trial, made the decision nearly two years after the jury’s verdict. In her ruling, she acquitted Karl Jordan Jr. of murder charges, a move that came as she confirmed the conviction of the other accused individual.

During the trial, an eyewitness claimed to have seen Jordan shoot the DJ—who was also his godfather—inside a Queens recording studio on October 30, 2002. However, Jordan’s defense team contended that the evidence did not substantiate the prosecution’s narrative that he committed the act as retaliation following a botched drug deal.

“We are thrilled for Mr. Jordan and his family that justice has been served,” remarked John Diaz, one of Jordan’s attorneys, in an email statement. Although Jordan had not yet been sentenced for the murder charges, he remains incarcerated, facing upcoming proceedings for separate drug-related charges stemming from years after the murder.

The prosecution has indicated that they are currently reviewing the judge’s ruling.

Separately, the judge denied co-defendant Ronald Washington’s bid for an acquittal or a new trial. One of his lawyers, Susan Kellman, noted that he can pursue further appeals.

Mizell worked the turntables in Run-D.M.C. as the group helped hip-hop break into the pop music mainstream in the 1980s with such hits as “It’s Tricky” and a fresh take on Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way.”