Brooklyn Federal Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall recently showed sympathy to Karl Jordan Jr., the man whose conviction in the killing of Jam Master Jay was overturned, after learning he was stabbed while in jail.
Judge Offers Sympathy After Jail Assault
During a court hearing, Judge Hall told Jordan she was “genuinely saddened” to hear that he was assaulted in the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC), one of the most dangerous jails in Brooklyn.
“That should have never happened. It looks like you are on the mend,” the judge said to Jordan during Wednesday’s hearing.
Jordan was attacked in a jail fight in February 2025 and had to be hospitalised. It is not confirmed if that’s the same incident the judge was referring to. The Federal Bureau of Prisons has not responded to media questions about the case.
Jordan Remains in Jail Despite Overturned Murder Conviction
Although his murder conviction was overturned in December 2025, the judge ordered that Jordan will still remain in custody for now, due to separate drug-related charges that are still pending. His lawyers are expected to file a bail application next week, hoping to get him released on those charges.
Jordan has been behind bars since September 2020.
Background: The Jam Master Jay Case
Jam Master Jay, whose real name was Jason Mizell, was a famous DJ from the iconic rap group Run-DMC. He was shot and killed inside his music studio in Queens on October 20, 2002.
Jordan, who was Mizell’s godson, and another man named Ronald Washington were arrested and later convicted in February 2024. Prosecutors had said the murder happened because Mizell had left them out of a major drug deal.
At the trial, witnesses spoke about the shooting and how it unfolded in the studio more than 20 years ago. But in December 2025, Judge Hall ruled that there wasn’t enough evidence to prove that Jordan had a motive to kill Mizell. In her 29-page ruling, she said prosecutors didn’t clearly show how a failed drug deal led to the murder.
Jordan had not been sentenced yet when the conviction was overturned.
Conditions at Brooklyn’s MDC Jail
Brooklyn’s MDC has a reputation for being unsafe. It holds several high-profile inmates, including accused murderers and international criminals. In June, the Legal Aid Society said the facility is “notorious for its dangerous conditions.”
Jordan’s stabbing is just one of several violent incidents reported at the jail in recent years.
