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A little over a month after Justin Johnson was found guilty of murdering rapper Young Dolph in November 2021, he appeared in court again on Friday morning, November 1, 2024.
Johnson was initially sentenced to life in prison on September 26, 2024, after being found guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and convicted felon in possession of a handgun.
Yesterday, Judge Jennifer Mitchell ruled that Johnson will serve an additional 35 years for Conspiracy to Commit Murder and 15 years for Felon in possession of a handgun, running consecutively with his life sentence.
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The Shelby County District Attorney's office reportedly advocated for consecutive terms and requested the maximum sentence on these charges, recommending 40 years for the conspiracy charge and 20 years for firearm possession.
However, Justin Johnson's legal team cited how the consecutive sentencing was "excessive," maintaining the defendant was "never a leader" in Young Dolph's murder.
"The individuals that were on the ground in front of that cookie store that day were not leaders in an offense. They were manipulated by others," Justin Johnson's attorney Luke Evans said.
ABC News reported that Johnson will only be eligible for parole 50 years from now, when he turns 70, under his murder conviction alone.
Why did Justin Johnson murder Young Dolph? Theories explored as defendant issued consecutive sentencing
On November 17, 2021, Young Dolph, born Adolph Thornton Jr., was fatally shot 22 times outside Makeda's Homemade Butter Cookies, a Memphis-based Bakery situated on Airways Boulevard. Dolph was reportedly handing out Thanksgiving Turkeys to families and community members, when two gunmen, driving a white Mercedes, opened fire in broad daylight.
In January 2022, 24-year-old Justin Johnson, an aspiring rapper going by the moniker Straight Drop, and his co-defendant, 32-year-old Cornelius Smith, were arrested and indicted on first-degree murder charges. During the trial, the prosecution suggested that Justin Johnson was promised monetary benefits and a potential record deal for successfully executing a hit on Young Dolph.
Johnson was reportedly seeking a deal with the Collective Music Group (formerly Cocaine Muzik Group), a Memphis-based record label founded by rapper Yo Gotti. This connection was confirmed during Smith's testimony, where he revealed that Gotti's brother, Anthony "Big Jook" Mims, had allegedly placed a $100,000 bounty on Young Dolph.
Smith also alleged that Big Jook had placed multiple bounties on rappers signed to Dolph's record label, Paper Route Empire. Prosecutor Paul Hagerman argued that CMG initially attempted to sign Young Dolph, who ultimately declined the offer and instead started his own record label.
Justin Johnson's defense argued that Smith was fabricating his testimony to protect himself, citing the lack of direct evidence that proved that the defendant was not present at the scene of the crime. Prosecutors countered with surveillance footage and cellphone records that supported Smith's testimony, which included a call made to Big Jook immediately after the shooting.
Allegations of Big Jook's involvement in this case come almost nine months after he was also shot and killed on January 13, 2024, with police investigators citing the shooting as a targetted attack,
When was Justin Johnson arrested? Young Dolph murder trial recapped
Rolling Stones confirmed that Justin Johnson was on the run from authorities when he was arrested in January 2022 and held without bond for the murder of Young Dolph.
His four-day trial, initiated on September 22, 2024, ended with a Memphis jury finding Johnson guilty on all counts. The verdict, delivered four hours after deliberations, was followed by Judge Jennifer Mitchell sentencing the defendant to life in prison for conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.
While Johnson was reportedly "expressionless" during the announcement, Young Dolph's family expressed relief. The late rapper's sister Carlissa Thornton, issued a public statement that read:
"On Nov. 17, 2021, our lives changed forever. A son, a father, a brother, a friend, a businessman, a music artist, a philanthropist, and life partner are among just some of the titles that my brother Adolph Robert Thornton Jr. held. Titles that have now left a missing piece in the lives of so many."
"We ask that instead of focusing on those who committed this crime, you focus on that man that Adolph Robert Thornton was. Regardless of the name that you may know him as, such as Adolph, Dolph, or Young Dolph, we ask you to remember the man that enjoyed being a father and spending time with his family." Carlissa continued.
During Friday's hearing, Prosecutor Paul Hagerman highlighted Justin Johnson's extensive criminal history, which included prior aggravated assault convictions, when calling him a "danger to the community."
"The risk of life of individuals other than the victim in the case, the state would ask you to set maximum sentences," Paul Hagerman said.
The prosecution cited multiple times that the defendant had "no hesitation" in committing the murder, claiming his actions were influenced by fame and greed. Theories surrounding Young Dolph's murder, supported by co-defendant Cornelius Smith's testimony, proposed a connection to his public feud with Yo Gotti.
Hagerman also noted that Dolph's rising success and subliminal disses aimed at CMG, Yo Gotti, and Big Jook, were not taken kindly, suggesting their long-standing rivalry was a primary motive for the November 2022 shooting.
Many also believe CMG affiliates played a part in the February 2017 shooting, where Young Dolph's bulletproof car was shot over 100 times while he was touring in Charlotte.
In April 2017, Young Dolph released his second studio album, titled Bulletproof, which went on to peak at No.36 on Billboard's album charts.
Justin Johnson has filed a motion that asked the court to vacate his sentence and requested a new trial, with his legal team citing that the evidence presented was insufficient.
Reportedly, a hearing for Johnson's new trial is currently set for December 12, 2024.
