MEMPHIS, Tennessee – A judge on Friday set a trial date for two men charged with the murder of rapper Young Dolph in a daytime robbery at a bakery in Memphis, Tennessee.
Justin Johnson and Cornelius Smith are scheduled to stand trial March 11 in the fatal shooting of the Memphis-born rapper, Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Lee Coffee said during a hearing.
Johnson and Smith have pleaded not guilty Charges include first-degree murder in the November 2021 shooting of Young Dolph, whose real name was Adolph Thornton Jr. A motive for the killing was not disclosed.
The 36-year-old rapper, label owner and producer was buying cookies near his childhood home in Memphis when he was shot dead by two men who were driving to the bakery in a stolen Mercedes Benz, authorities said. The murder rocked Memphis and rocked the entertainment world.
Two other men were charged with murder.
Jermarcus Johnson, Justin Johnson’s half brother pleaded guilty On June 9, three counts of aiding and abetting were filed and he was able to testify at the trial.
Jermarcus Johnson admitted that after the murder he helped the two suspects communicate via cell phone while they were on the run from authorities and that he helped one of them communicate with his parole officer after the murder.
During questioning by prosecutor Paul Hagerman, he also admitted to taking possession of Justin Johnson’s car. The car is not the one linked to the murder, Hagerman said. Jermarcus Johnson also identified a photo showing Justin Johnson wearing the same clothes as one of the two gunmen accused of shooting Young Dolph on the day of the rapper’s assassination.
After Jermarcus Johnson’s plea hearing, Hagerman said that he had no part in the actual assassination of Young Dolph, but that he was one of the “multiple actors” who did related things.
Another man, Hernandez Govan, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and conspiracy in that count. He is accused of arranging the murder. Govan was released on bail.
Young Dolph was known in Memphis for his community service and success as an independent music artist and businessman. Young Dolph had been in town visiting a sick relative and handing out Thanksgiving turkeys at a church when he was killed.
After his death, Memphis named a street after him and the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies honored him during a game. Murals of the rapper have been painted all over town and a pop-up museum dedicated to him opened earlier this year.
The Makeda’s Homemade Cookies bakery became an impromptu memorial to the murdered rapper. It was closed for months after the shooting but has since reopened.
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