MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Monday, the jury heard opening arguments and testimony from the first round of witnesses in the trial of one of the men accused of killing beloved Memphis rapper Young Dolph.
Dolph was shot and killed at Makeda's Cookies on airways boulevard in November 2021.
24-year-old Justin Johnson, also known as 'Straight Drop,' pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit first degree murder, first degree murder, and a convicted felon in possession of firearm.
Cornelius Smith Jr. and Hernandez Govan, both charged with Young Dolph’s murder, were originally set to go on trial Monday, but, according to defense attorney Luke Evans, both will be testifying against Johnson. Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy would only confirm that Smith is cooperating with the state.
“There’s been a lot of work done by our staff at the D.A.’s office and also by law enforcement to bring the people responsible for this tragic killing to to justice,” said Mulroy.
Judge Jennifer Mitchell has ruled that Young Dolph’s family and certain witnesses (including Smith) can’t have their faces shown on camera, one of several safety precautions being taken.
“The last time that I saw my brother was in September right before Labor Day,” testified Erica Thornton, Young Dolph’s sister. “So two months before he was murdered.”
Thornton was the first to take the stand Monday.
Deputy District Attorney Paul Hagerman, lead attorney for the prosecution, argued that Dolph’s murder was the result of tension between Dolph’s record label Paper Route Empire and rival Memphis label Cocaine Muzik Group, and the diss track he wrote about CMG’s “Big Jook,” which Dolph’s long-time friend and security manager Raul “Blue” Hopkins also testified about Monday.
“In his rap songs, did he call out CMG and those artists?” Deputy D.A. Hagerman asked.
“Yes sir,” Hopkins told him.
Hagerman said Big Jook, Yo Gotti's brother who was murdered in January 2024, put out a $100,000 hit on Dolph, which Johnson, an up-and-coming rapper, took on in order to advance his own career with CMG, which fellow murder suspect Govan was trying to get Johnson to sign with.
But Evans argued Johnson and Govan parted ways during a business meeting in Atlanta.
“‘I’m not going to go your way Govan,’” Evans told the jury, quoting Johnson. “‘I’m not going to go your way. I’m not going into business with you.’”
Evans also claimed the jury should not trust Smith, saying he told his family he didn’t kill Dolph.
“‘I didn’t do it. I’m just saying what I got to say, to get myself home,’” Evans said, reading from a letter he said was written by Smith to his family.
When Smith took the stand, he identified both himself and Johnson in the video where Dolph was shot.
“[That’s a] photo of me and Justin. Shooting at Dolph,” Smith said.
“[That’s a] photo of me and Justin running away from the shooting after we got done shooting Dolph,” Smith added.
He also identified Johnson wearing the same clothes as he did during the shooting in a surveillance video from the apartment complex where Smith said they went to change and clean up after the shooting, as well as several other locations.
D.A. Mulroy said he expects the trial to end either Wednesday or Thursday. He said Smith's and Govan’s fates will be decided either through trial or plea deal and will depend on their level of cooperation.