BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11) -- Emotional testimony captivated a Brooklyn federal courtroom Monday, as Jam Master Jay’s childhood friend, and later, business manager – Lydia High – testified about her night in October 2002 when the Run-DMC member, whose real name is Jason Mizell, was fatally shot in the head at point-blank range inside his music studio in Jamaica, Queens.
Mizell’s own godson, Karl Jordan Jr., and another childhood friend, Ronald “Tinard” Washington, are accused of carrying out the murder because of a cocaine deal gone bad.
“Somebody walked in … They walked past me. They went over to Jason. He smiled and kind of gave that person a pound. And then he said, ‘Oh [expletive]' …Then I heard the gun. I screamed …and I ran for the door. I got to the door and the person who was standing at the door – he told me to get down on the floor,” High testified.
When asked if she recognized the armed suspect standing guard at the door, High, her voice shaking while fighting back tears, testified, "It was Tinard. It was a gun. I’ve known him for years."
Interestingly, High did not identify accused triggerman Karl Jordan by name, but testified, “He was fair skinned … He had a tattoo on his neck.”
On cross-examination, Jordan’s defense team attempted to drive home the point that on several occasions over the last 20 years, High repeatedly declined to identify Jordan as the shooter.
But High, who had to be subpoenaed to testify, explained, “I was afraid for my life. I just saw something that I couldn’t believe.”
Earlier in the day, convicted Baltimore drug dealer Yakim Mullgrav, who also had to be subpoenaed to testify, told jurors Mizell wanted to bring in his friend, Ronald Washington, aka “Tinard,” into a 10-key coke deal.
"That was back in the day in Baltimore. Yes, that was the testimony. I heard that also. Well, I think it speaks for itself. I mean, that shows significant dislike, let's say," said his defense attorney, Gary Farrell.
Mullgrav said Mizell, up to that point, was not a serious dealer, adding he did not like Tinard or want Tinard involved in the coke deal.
“Jay was not a drug dealer. He just did it to make ends meet. He only did it once or twice,” Mullgrav testified.
There was an interesting development after the jury was dismissed for the day. The prosecution mentioned difficulties in getting some of their witnesses to speak openly in court, or take the stand at all, and then insinuated accused triggerman Karl Jorden, who remains in custody during his trial, used illegally obtained cellphones, and not the monitored jail phones, to carry out a campaign of witness intimidation. The judge is expected to review briefs on the issue overnight before the trial resumes on Tuesday.
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