Overview
- U.S. District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall granted a rare Rule 29 judgment of acquittal for Karl Jordan Jr., nearly two years after a 2024 jury conviction.
- Ronald Washington’s bid for acquittal or a new trial was denied, with the judge saying a jury could reasonably infer retaliation tied to a failed Baltimore cocaine deal.
- Prosecutors said the decision is under review and could be appealed; Jordan had not been sentenced on the vacated counts and remains jailed on unrelated drug charges.
- At trial, an eyewitness identified Jordan as the shooter, while defense arguments highlighted DNA from Jay Bryant on a hat at the scene and testimony that Bryant claimed responsibility.
- Jay Bryant remains charged in the case, with a separate trial scheduled for May 2026.