Justin Johnson found guilty on all counts for his role in Young Dolph’s murder

In the culmination of a four-day trial, a jury found Justin Johnson guilty on all counts for his role in the fatal shooting of rapper Young Dolph in Memphis on November 17, 2021.

The verdict came about 4 hours after the end of the arguments on Thursday.

The jury returned a unanimous verdict of guilty on each of the following charges:

He was sentenced to life in prison for first-degree murder by Judge Jennifer Johnson Mitchell. His sentence for felon in possession of a firearm and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder will be decided on Nov. 1. Evans told media he plans to appeal the conviction.

Johnson had no reaction to the verdicts, but Young Dolph’s family could be seen nodding their heads up and down in agreement with the verdicts.

Shelby County Prosecutor Steve Mulroy thanked the trial team for their work on the case and congratulated them on the verdict. Mulroy said he and his office will continue to hold those responsible for Thornton’s death accountable.

“We are obviously pleased with the jury’s decision, we are very pleased that justice has been served in this case and we will continue to ensure that everyone responsible for Young Dolph’s death receives the punishment they deserve.” , Mulroy said.

Hernandez Govan did not testify at trial, which Mulroy said he expected earlier in the week. He later said it was not necessary to call all the witnesses to prove their case.

Hagerman assured the court, jury and media that Govan would answer for his alleged role in the murder.

“I think we’ve painted a very clear picture of before, during and after the murder. The investigation has done a fabulous job of highlighting these three moments and answering many of the questions that many murder cases don’t. ‘never get an answer,” Hagerman said. said.

Carlisa Brown, younger Dolph’s sister, asked that prayers for her family continue and that people focus not on those who committed the crimes but on the man her brother was.

“Whatever name you know him by, like Adolph, Dolph or Young Dolph, we ask you to remember the man who loved being a father and spending time with his family,” she said, tears in my eyes. “We ask you to remember the man who loved to provide opportunities to those who were often overlooked and excluded. We ask you to remember the man who loved to give back to others and be an inspiration to those who come from less than ideal backgrounds.

The three days of testimony saw only testimony from the prosecution. The defense did not call any witnesses.

On the first day of the trial, the jury saw the gripping testimony of Cornelius Smith, also charged in Thornton’s death. Smith admitted to shooting Thornton multiple times and said he did not know how many times he shot him.

Luke Evans, Johnson’s attorney, said the state has not proven Johnson was involved in the killing at all. Evans stressed that the DNA from the getaway car was not Johnson’s.

Evans also argued that there was no video evidence showing Johnson getting into the getaway car.

These arguments apparently failed to convince the jury from Davidson County.

Evans said he would appeal the verdicts.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Young Dolph Murder Trial Verdict: Justin Johnson Found Guilty