One of the defendants accused in the killing of late Run-DMC member Jam Master Jay claims that a witness for the prosecution is unreliable due to having made contradictory statements concerning the identity of the triggerman.
Lydia High, who was with the band where Jam Master Jay was shot and died in October 2002, has several "impairing factors" that impede the credibility of her testimony, according to legal papers obtained by AllHipHop. The Law Office of Ezra Spilke, which is representing defendant Ronald Washington, laid forth numerous instances in which High's recollection of the events surrounding the shooting either slowed down or remained completely unchanged.
According to High's initial admission to police, "[T]wo black males entered the [sitting room] and both men were carrying revolvers." Lydia [High] was ordered to the floor by the man with the wool mask and a pistol, at which time Uriel Rincon stood up to assist Mr. Mizell. The man with the mask then shot Mr. Mizell again, fled the doorway with the other man."
Despite Spilke's letter, High claims the shooter was wearing a mask and that she failed to identify their client, despite telling authorities that she knew Washington for "numberous years."
Ms. High's account changed nine months after the shooting because she then knew the identity of one of the participants, Washington, who she identified from a photo array. High told the cops that he was the person who aimed a pistol at her and told her to 'get on the ground while the masked guy shot Mizell.'
Spilke continued, stating that the witness cannot be relied on without introducing reasonable doubt. "Ms. High's identifications of Mr. Washington, from the photo lineup or in open court, may be unreliability for several reasons."
On October 30, 2002, Jam Master Jay, born Jason Mizell, was shot and died in his studio in Hollis, Queens. During a time when Jordan and Ronald Washington were charged, federal authorities say they believe Jordan fired the shot that killed Mizell at close range.
