MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WREG) — After almost three years, the trial for the men charged in connection to the deadly attack of Memphis rapper Young Dolph will begin on Monday.
Hernandez Govan, Justin Johnson, and Cornelius Smith are the three men set to face a judge. A fourth man, Jermarcus Johnson, already pled guilty last year to three counts of being an accessory after the fact.
On November 17, 2021, 36-year-old Adolph Thorton Jr., better known as Young Dolph, was killed at Makeda’s Cookies on Airways Boulevard near Ketchum in Memphis.
Govan is accused of arranging Young Dolph’s murder. Justin Johnson and Cornelius Smith are said to be the alleged triggermen. Prosecutors say Jermarcus Johnson was not involved in the shooting or the planning but did assist his half-brother, Justin, escape after the shooting.
According to court records, Johnson bonded out the same day he entered the guilty plea and has been out awaiting his sentencing. At the time, the judge said the charges would bring a sentence of 6 to 12 years.
