Young Dolph's convicted killer, Justin Johnson, just got an even worse sentence over the murder of the Memphis rapper. For those unaware, Johnson already received a life sentence for first-degree murder charges back in late September after the court found him guilty. Now, on Friday afternoon (November 1), Judge Jennifer Mitchell additionally sentenced him to 35 years in prison for conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, as well as 15 years for possessing a handgun as a convicted felon. Those sentences will be served at the same time, but the 35 years will come after his life sentence.
If you're confused, the basic explanation is that if something were to happen to the original life sentence, such as parole or an overturn, Justin Johnson would still have to face 35 years in prison for these charges related to Young Dolph's murder. Johnson, along with another gunman, shot and killed the Paper Route Empire MC at a Memphis bakery back in 2021. This was due to an alleged hit that Yo Gotti's brother Big Jook placed on Dolph, although those remain theories without full confirmation at press time.
Young Dolph At A Memphis Community Center Giveaway
Furthermore, this additional sentence comes after Justin Johnson motioned for a new trial concerning the Young Dolph murder last week. "The verdict regarding the offenses of conviction was contrary to the weight and sufficiency of the evidence, and the evidence was insufficient to lead any rational trier of fact to conclude that Mr. Johnson was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt," his attorney Luke Evans claimed. "The trial court erred by admitting gruesome photographs of the victim’s body at the crime scene... admitting gruesome autopsy photographs... [and] denying Johnson’s repeated motions to allow him to sit at the counsel table." Evans continued: "The cumulative effect of multiple errors at trial warrants granting Mr. Johnson a new trial."
Of course, this controversy follows others concerning the murder of Young Dolph, such as a conflict between Dolph's colleague Kenny Muney and Ralo. Muney felt like the Atlanta rapper and folks like DJ Akademiks engaged in "click bait" over this trial. Fortunately, both hip-hop artists buried the hatchet and came to an understanding.