Yesterday (September 26), the Young Dolph murder trial reached a verdict, and 25-year-old Justin Johnson was found guilty. He was handed a life sentence on the spot for alleged first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and felon in possession of a firearm. For now, the fate of his co-defendants Hernandez Govan and Cornelius Smith remains to be seen. They are also facing first-degree murder charges.
Recently, Johnson shared a message concerning his life sentence on his Instagram Story. "These n****s taking criminal responsibility I'm taking street responsibility regardless," he wrote. "I'm foreva the biggest they can throw away the keys before I ever eat da cheese." This appears to be a jab at Smith, who testified against him earlier this week.
Justin Johnson Claims He's "Taking Street Responsibility"
Smith previously admitted to firing the shots that killed Young Dolph, alleging that Yo Gotti's brother Big Jook had put out a $100K hit on the rapper. He alleged that he met with him and Hernandez Govan, who's accused of being the "mastermind" behind the shooting. At that point, he alleges that he was paired with Johnson for the shooting. Govan didn't take the stand despite being expected to testify against Johnson.
Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy had a vague explanation for this when speaking to reporters this week. "I don’t want to go into too much detail," he said. "But not every potential witness that we might have is necessary in a case. It’s not always necessary to bring everything you have to bear in order to prove everything beyond a reasonable doubt." Luke Evans, Johnson's lawyer, speculates that he didn't take the stand because his testimony wouldn't have favored the prosecution. What do you think of Young Dolph's murder trial reaching a verdict yesterday? What about Justin Johnson's latest remark about his life sentence and seemingly his co-defendant? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.