Uncle of one of Jam Master Jay's accused killers testifies in trial: 'He said he did it'

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11) -- The power of the subpoena was on full display Wednesday, as prosecutors in the trial over Jam Master Jay's murder compelled an uncle of Jay Bryant, one of the accused killers of the Run-DMC member, to take the witness stand and implicate his own nephew in the murder.

Raymond Bryant first described a 2002 conversation with his nephew Jay Bryant, not long after Jam Master Jay, whose real name was Jason Mizell, was murdered in his music studio in Jamaica, Queens.

“He told me he was involved. He said he did it,” Raymond Bryant said.

Then, around 2019, the elder Bryant stated his nephew said, “He was just explaining to me about [police] finding his hat at the crime scene. He said, ‘I got arrested.'"

It’s unclear what compelled Raymond Bryant to testify against his own nephew.

Although Jay Bryant will be tried separately, prosecutors are trying to establish a connection between Jay Bryant and the two defendants in this trial; Karl Jordan, who was Mizell’s godson, and close friend Ronald “Tinard” Washington.

Earlier witness testimony revealed Bryant stands about 6 feet 4 inches tall and walks with a limp from a prior gunshot wound.

That description was critically relevant during testimony from Tana Davis, who was working that night in a financial services business across the hall from Mizell’s music studio.

She testified, “I heard shots … a woman screamed. He went past the front office door and left the building. He looked like he was dragging his leg a little bit.”

Following a long delay after lunch, there were two major developments late in the afternoon. A witness, who did not want to testify and had to be subpoenaed to take the stand, testified that defendant Ronald "Tinard" Washington told him that he killed Jam Master Jay. Prosecutors said that another witness, who is still refusing to take the stand, would also implicate Washington if he took the stand.