One of the men accused of killing Memphis rapper Young Dolph seemed unfazed as a jury found him guilty of murder and he was sentenced to life in prison.
Jurors took just under four hours Thursday to reach a verdict in Justin Johnson’s four-day murder trial, before finally issuing a unanimous decision that he was guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder in the first degree and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, Memphis Local Reports.
Johnson stood still as the verdict was read in court, even as Judge Jennifer Mitchell sentenced him to life in prison for the murder of Young Dolph on November 17, 2021.
Prosecutors had argued during the trial that Johnson and another man, Cornelius Smith, opened fire outside Makeda’s Cookie Shop, where the rapper, whose real name is Adolph Thornton Jr., was buying candy for his mother.
They would be paid $40,000 each to carry out the hit on Anthony Mims, also known as Big Jook, brother of Dolph’s rival, Memphis rapper Yo Gotti, Smith testified on the first day of the trial.
Justin Johnson was found guilty of murder Thursday in the shooting death of Memphis rapper Young Dolph.
The rapper, whose real name is Adolph Thornton Jr., was shot and killed while purchasing candy for his mother at a local cookie store on November 17, 2021.
Smith, who also faces first-degree murder charges, identified himself and Johnson as the two men who were captured on surveillance footage opening fire on the bakery moments after Dolph entered.
The 36-year-old rapper could be seen briefly talking to an employee to buy cookies. He was apparently waiting for his order when a stolen white Mercedes Benz pulled up and two men shot through the window and hit him in broad daylight.
The suspects then sped away in the Mercedes Benz, and video played in court showed the stolen vehicle entering Johnson’s apartment complex and then showed the suspect walking through the building.
He appeared to be wearing the same clothing as one of the shooters in the bakery surveillance footage: a black hoodie, gray sweatpants and a Bass Pro Shops cap.
The Mercedes was found the next day in the house next to that of a third suspect, Hernández Govan. Fox 13 reports.
Footage presented in court shows the rapper (pictured right) entering Makeda’s Homemade Cookies that day.
Two men were then seen getting out of a stolen Mercedes Benz and opening fire.
Jermarcus Johnson, Justin’s half-brother, also acknowledged in court that he helped the two shooting suspects communicate by cell phone while they were fleeing authorities, and helped one of them contact his probation officer.
Jermarcus pleaded guilty in June 2023 to three counts of accessory after the fact, but has not yet been sentenced.
Other witnesses testified that they saw a man give Johnson the stolen Mercedes before the shooting, and police officers claimed that Johnson’s cell phone was in the area of Makeda’s Bakery at the time of the shooting.
The assistant district attorney claimed that Govan put Johnson and Smith in touch with Mims, and they formed an agreement under which Mims would give both gunmen $50,000 for carrying out the hit and they, in turn, would give They take $10,000 of their profits.
He noted that Yo Gotti founded rival record label Cocaine Muzic Group (now known as Collective Music Group) and wanted Young Dolph to work for them, but he turned them down.
The younger Dolph later wrote diss tracks targeting the label, its artists, and its ‘number two person’, Big Jook, who was murdered outside a restaurant in January 2024.
Surveillance footage shows the suspects fleeing in the stolen Mercedes Benz.
After three days of prosecutorial arguments, defense attorney Luke Evans asked for an acquittal, claiming prosecutors failed to make their conspiracy case, but the judge denied the motion.
Evans then focused his defense on the fact that Johnson’s DNA was never recovered from the Mercedes and the weapons used to kill young Dolph were never found.
He also refuted the video showing the Mercedes entering Johnson’s apartment complex, arguing that it only proves that the Mercedes and Johnson were in the apartment complex at the same time, and said that only because his phone was in the bakery area doesn’t mean Johnson was.
Evans later rejected the argument that Johnson was wearing the same clothing as the man seen shooting at the cookie store, arguing that “similar is not the same.”
Jemarcus Johnson, Justin’s half-brother, acknowledged in court that he helped the two shooting suspects communicate by cell phone as they fled from authorities.
But Johnson has a long criminal history, dating back to age 17, when he was charged with aggravated rape and aggravated robbery at gunpoint for assaulting a woman at an Econo Lodge.
He was declared a delinquent – equivalent to a sentence – and placed in the custody of the Department of Children’s Services until he turned 19. He was also placed on the juvenile sex offender registry.
Two years later, in 2017, Johnson was sentenced to five years in prison after shooting three people with an assault rifle during a fight at a Memphis bowling alley.
Police said at the time that a fight broke out at the bowling alley just before midnight, according to the Tennessee station. WJHL. Johnson grabbed an assault rifle from outside and fired into the crowd, hitting three people and escaping with his girlfriend.
Officers found him a month later in a home with marijuana, an assault rifle and active warrants for the January shooting. He was classified as a gang member.
In May of that year, Johnson pleaded guilty to several counts of aggravated assault, but served only five months of a five-year sentence when a judge approved his release.
Shelby County court records also show that non-drug and weapons charges against Johnson were dropped in 2018.
Then, before turning himself in to authorities for the murder of young Dolph, Johnson released a music video in which he sang about opening fire on his enemies.
Holding a wad of $100 bills and rapping in front of a gas station, he says, “The only time he sees my face is when I blame him.”
Other lyrics in the video, much of it difficult to decipher, include ‘dead on fire’, ‘killing sh**’ and ‘Can’t let no man get close to me, they’re too close to dying.’
Johnson has a long criminal history dating back to when he was just 17 years old.
Following Thursday’s guilty verdict, Dolph’s family released a statement thanking the public for their support.
“On November 17, 2021, our lives changed forever,” said his sister Carlissa Thornton.
‘A son, a father, a brother, a friend, a businessman, a musical artist, a philanthropist and a life partner are some of the titles held by my brother Adolph Robert Thornton Jr. Titles that have now left a missing piece in the lives of so many people.
“I want to thank the jury for their service and decision in this case in bringing us one step closer to justice for our family, friends, fans and the community that has supported us during this time,” he said, before also thanking the District. Prosecutor’s Office, the Memphis Police Department and investigators.
‘We realize that this act of violence has affected many people besides our family and friends. Your great love and support throughout this process does not go unnoticed.
“We ask that instead of focusing on those who committed this crime, you focus on that man who was Adolph Robert Thornton,” Carlissa continued.
‘Regardless of the name you know him by, such as Adolph, Dolph or Young Dolph, we ask that you remember the man who enjoyed being a father and spending time with his family.
‘We ask you to remember the man who enjoyed giving opportunities to those who were ignored and discarded. We ask that you remember the man who enjoyed giving back to others and being an inspiration to those who come from less than ideal backgrounds, and knowing that they are seen and can change their outcomes and the lives of others by doing something positive.’
Dolph’s family released a statement following the verdict asking the public to remember him as a generous man and father.
Mia Joye, Dolph’s partner, too posted on Instagram: ‘Today’s verdict is a relief and restores my confidence in the judicial system.
‘On behalf of my children, my family and myself, I would like to thank the authorities, the prosecution and everyone involved for their diligent work in presenting the facts that led to this conviction. We also thank the public for supporting us and advocating for accountability throughout this process.
“The last three years, marked by the loss of Adolph and the events leading up to the trial, have been incredibly frustrating,” he continued. ‘My faith has been tested, but Adolph’s tragic execution has only strengthened my resolve to fight for justice, not just for him, but for all black men.
“This is just the beginning of our journey toward achieving full justice for Adolph, and we will patiently support the development of that process.”
Smith is scheduled to appear in court for his own trial on Nov. 15 and Govan is scheduled to have a hearing on Oct. 9.