Young Dolph Murder Case's Remaining Suspects Will Return To Court To Face Trial

BYGabriel Bras Nevares1269 Views
Link Copied to Clipboard!
Gucci and Friends Homecoming Concert
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 22: Rapper Young Dolph performs on stage at Gucci and Friends Homecoming Concert at Fox Theatre on July 22, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for Atlantic Records)
This comes after one man was already convicted of Young Dolph's murder.

Many folks still have unanswered questions after the court convicted one of three murder suspects in the Young Dolph case. On Thursday, the jury found gunman Justin Johnson guilty of first-degree murder and he received a life sentence in prison, leaving the other two suspects' fates hanging in the balance. These individuals are Cornelius Smith (the other alleged gunman) and Hernandez Govan (the attack's alleged mastermind). For those unaware, a fourth suspect in this case, Johnson's brother Jermarcus, pleaded guilty to three counts of accessory after the fact and will faces a six to 12 year sentence. He will return to court on October 9 for his next scheduled hearing.

As for Smith and Govan, the court reportedly decided on when these men will face trial for the murder of Young Dolph, according to court documents allegedly obtained in an ABC24 Memphis report. Govan is scheduled to return to court on October 9 as well, whereas Smith's next scheduled court date on November 15. Not only that, but this November court date could result in a verdict and sentence as well, although that's a vague detail that emerged in these reports.

Young Dolph Performing In 2020

COLLEGE PARK, GEORGIA - AUGUST 23: Rapper Young Dolph performs on stage during the Parking Lot Concert series at Gateway Center Arena on August 23, 2020 in College Park, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)

Other elements of the Young Dolph case involve how Smith and Jermarcus both testified against Justin. Smith claimed that he and Justin took up an offer to murder the rapper for an alleged $100K bounty supposedly set by Yo Gotti's late brother Big Jook and Hernandez Govan. However, conflict arose when Smith allegedly only received $800 for the hit while on the run. "I'm going to jail anyway," he responded to a prosecutor's question about what folks offered him in exchange for his testimony. "I can get it off my chest. It's my best out to be honest, to be truthful. Why play with these folks? They already know."

Meanwhile, the Shelby County District's Attorney, Steve Mulroy, told ABC24 Memphis that the court or jury will decide Smith and Govan's fates through either a trial or a plea deal. In addition, he posited that this will depend on their cooperation. Young Dolph's family has responded to Johnson's conviction, and they await what happens next.

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.
...