Justin Johnson, one of two men arrested in 2022 accused of killing Young Dolph, was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison, the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office said in a news release. Johnson also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and possession of a firearm.
Young Dolph was shot and killed at age 36 on Wednesday, November 17, 2021, in Memphis. During the trial, one of Johnson’s co-defendants, Cornelius Smith, testified that he and Johnson killed Young Dolph. He also said it was at the behest of Anthony “Big Juke” Mims, the brother of Memphis rapper Yo Gotti, who ordered a $100,000 hit against Dolph. In addition, he claimed that he and Johnson had to pay $10,000 to a man named Hernandez Govan to organize the attack.
Smith has pleaded not guilty to murder and conspiracy charges and his case has been postponed until November, according to Memphis Commercial appeal. Hernandez Govan also pleaded not guilty to murder and conspiracy charges. A fourth defendant, Jermarcus Johnson, pleaded guilty last year to three counts of accessory after the fact, admitting to helping Justin Johnson and Cornelius Smith communicate after the shooting Mims was killed in a shooting in January.
