Jury selection commenced on Monday for the trial of Karl Jordan Jr, 40, and Ronald Washington, 59, who are accused of the 2002 fatal shooting of hip-hop legend Jam Master Jay from the group Run-DMC. The defendants face charges of murdering the musician in a drug deal gone wrong. Following the jury selection process, opening statements are expected to be heard at a state courthouse in Brooklyn.

Both Jordan and Washington have pleaded not guilty to the charges. If convicted, they could face a minimum of 20 years in prison. However, the death penalty is not on the table, as confirmed by the government. Additionally, Jordan is also facing gun and cocaine charges in the same trial, to which he has entered a plea of not guilty. Despite having no prior adult criminal record, prosecutors claim to possess footage of Jordan allegedly selling cocaine to an undercover agent and participating in drug trafficking activities.

Jam Master Jay, whose real name was Jason Mizell, tragically lost his life at the age of 37 when he was shot in a recording studio in his Queens neighborhood. The murder remained unsolved until the authorities arrested Jordan and Washington in 2020. Another suspect, Jay Bryant, aged 49, was apprehended in 2023 related to the killing and is currently being tried separately.

Run-DMC, a group credited with elevating hip-hop to the mainstream in the 1980s, featured Jam Master Jay alongside rappers Joe "Run" Simmons and Darryl "DMC" McDaniels. The group gained fame with hit songs like "It's Tricky" and rose to prominence after collaborating with rock band Aerosmith on "Walk This Way" in 1986.

Incorporating an anti-drug message in their lyrics and public service announcements, Run-DMC's Jam Master Jay was alleged to have become involved in cocaine trafficking in the mid-1990s, according to prosecutors. They claim he acquired 10 kilograms (22 lbs) of cocaine which he intended to sell before a disagreement led to his cutting ties with Washington. It is alleged that Washington and Jordan subsequently shot and killed Jay in his recording studio on October 30, 2002, in Jamaica, Queens, New York City.

Authorities offered a reward of $60,000 for information related to Jay's death, but witnesses remained silent, and the case went cold. Eventually, witnesses identified Washington and Jordan as the killers. Prosecutors state that Washington, who was named as a suspect in 2007, admitted his involvement in the murder through statements made to law enforcement. At the time, Washington was facing trial for a series of armed robberies, which he denies. In a 2003 Playboy magazine article titled "The Last Days of Jam Master Jay," Washington was quoted as saying that he heard gunshots and saw Jordan fleeing as he was heading to Jay's studio on the night of the murder.

Lawyers representing Jordan argue that their client and Jay's families were neighbors, and their fathers were friends. They contend that witnesses saw Jordan, who was 18 at the time, at his pregnant girlfriend's house during the time of Jay's murder. The trial will further investigate these claims and reveal more details about the events surrounding the tragic death of Jam Master Jay.

The trial is set to continue, and updates will be provided as the proceedings unfold.