Young Dolph‘s murder trial began with a bang when during opening statements, a prosecutor pointed to what he said was a conspiracy surrounding the rapper’s 2021 slaying — one that involved Yo Gotti‘s late brother.
One of the suspects in Dolph’s killing, Justin “Straight Drop” Johnson, was on put on trial on Monday (September 23). During his opening statement, Shelby County Assistant District Attorney Paul Hagerman said that both Johnson and Cornelius Smith, the other alleged gunman in the slaying, met with Yo Gotti’s brother Anthony “Big Jook” Mims before the killing.
“Big Jook…,the number two guy at [Yo Gotti’s label] CMG, he’s put out a hit, $100,000 to whoever kills Dolph,” Hagerman told the jury, per Memphis’ Fox 13. “He has met with Justin [Johnson]. He has met with Cornelius [Smith], and they think they’re ready to do it.”
Hagerman said that Johnson, an aspiring rapper, wanted the money to help his music career.
Young Dolph and Yo Gotti had well-chronicled tensions dating back to 2016. An associate of Gotti’s was booked on attempted murder following a shooting at Dolph in September 2017, but he was ultimately released without charges.
Big Jook was shot and killed in January of this year, in what authorities believed was a targeted attack. As of June, the Memphis Commercial Appeal reported that while the investigation into Jook’s murder was ongoing, the police had no updates.
The jury in Justin Johnson’s case consists of people who reside outside of Shelby County, Tennessee, because of a request by Johnson’s attorney.
The request was made due to the fact that Dolph’s 2021 shooting was heavily covered by local media in his hometown of Memphis.
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Johnson and Cornelius Smith are charged with first degree murder, as well as multiple additional felony charges related to Dolph’s death. A third suspect, Hernandez Govan, stands accused of ordering the hit on the 36-year-old rapper, born Adolph Thornton, Jr.
Young Dolph was killed in November 2021 after two men got out of a stolen Mercedes-Benz and fired several shots into a bakery in Memphis, with the incident captured on CCTV.
In addition to the three men set to stand trial for his murder, Jemarcus Johnson has pleaded guilty to three counts of serving as an accessory after the killing but has not yet been sentenced.
