Murder trial in killing of Young Dolph to begin Monday

Three men accused of plotting and executing the execution of beloved Memphis rapper Young Dolph volition stand proceedings opening Monday.

Justin Johnson and Cornelius Smith Jr. are accused of fatally shooting Dolph, whose ineligible sanction was Adolph Thornton Jr. Meanwhile, Hernandez Govan has been charged with hiring them. All 3 person pleaded not guilty.

A 4th man, Johnson’s half-brother Jermarcus Johnson, pleaded blameworthy past year to helping his half-brother debar constabulary aft the shooting. Prosecutors person not said if Jermarcus Johnson volition attest against the different men but helium has not yet been sentenced.

AP Photo/Adrian Sainz

Jermarcus Johnson, left, speaks with Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Lee Coffee arsenic helium pleads blameworthy to charges successful the sidesplitting of rapper Young Dolph connected Friday, June 9, 2023, successful Memphis, Tenn. Coffee approved a plea woody with prosecutors, allowing him to debar trial. (AP Photo/Adrian Sainz)

A jury was seated past week. The assemblage was pulled from extracurricular Memphis — chiefly from Nashville — aft defence attorneys argued it would beryllium intolerable for the men to person a just proceedings from Memphis residents due to the fact that Dolph was truthful beloved successful the city.

Dolph, 36 astatine the time, was buying sweets astatine Makeda’s Homemade Cookies connected Nov. 17, 2021, erstwhile 2 men stepped retired of a stolen Mercedes and opened occurrence into the building, sidesplitting him.

Investigators identified the 2 men arsenic Smith and Justin Johnson. Smith was arrested connected a warrant for stealing the Mercedes, portion Johnson evaded seizure for astir 2 months earlier cops caught up with him successful January 2022 successful Indiana. They were some charged with first-degree murder.

AP Photo/Adrian Sainz

A pistillate enters Makeda’s Homemade Cookies successful Memphis. Tenn., Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Adrian Sainz)

About 1 twelvemonth aft the killing, Govan was arrested and accused of organizing it. However, prosecutors person not publically revealed what accusation led them to Govan, oregon however they volition physique the lawsuit against each 3 men. Any motive for the sidesplitting remained unclear up of trial.

“We privation everyone progressive to get what they deserve,” Dolph’s older sister, Carlisa Brown, told The Associated Press. “It was a precise senseless murder.”

Though Dolph was calved successful Chicago, his household moved to Memphis erstwhile helium was a child, and helium was proud to correspond the city. His debut medium was named “King of Memphis,” and aft the shooting, helium was honored with a thoroughfare sanction and murals passim the city.

With News Wire Services