MEMPHIS, Tenn — The brother of Justin Johnson, the man charged in the killing of Memphis rapper Young Dolph, took the stand during day two of the murder trial.
Jermarcus Johnson pleaded guilty to three counts of accessory after the fact in October 2023 but has yet to be sentenced. He faces six to 12 years in jail.
Under the judge's guidance, his face was not shown as he testified.
Jermarcus called Justin Johnson his brother, sharing the same dad and different mothers. They grew up in different households. Under questioning by Shelby County Deputy District Attorney Paul Hagerman, Jermarcus said in 2021, he spoke with Justin about every other week and saw him two or three times that year in person. Jermarcus said they did not have the same friends.
Jermarcus said at the time of the murder, he was living in East Memphis with his mom, two sisters, and his four-year-old son, of whom he had full custody.
Jermarcus testified he was not part of the plan to kill Young Dolph in the beginning.
After the murder, Jermarcus said Justin contacted him about giving him a car, because Jermarcus did not have transportation at the time to get to work. About an hour after getting the call, Jermarcus said Justin showed up in a white Chrysler and some others showed up in a white SUV.
Jermarcus said when Justin brought the car, he was also messing with two phones. Jermarcus said Justin gave him one of the two phones, even though Jermarcus had his own. Jermarcus said Justin told him he needed him to post stuff to Justin's social media, such as videos. (Justin goes by the rap name ‘Straight Drop,’ and prosecutors have said a rap feud may have led to Dolph's murder.) Jermarcus said Justin didn’t say why he wanted him to post for him.
Jermarcus testified Justin did not tell him that he was going out of town or that he needed to lay low.
After getting the phone, Jermarcus said Justin got a call telling him to come on while he was working with both phones. After dealing with the phones, Jermarcus said Justin left with the people in the white SUV.
Jermarcus testified that when someone called or texted the phone Justin had given him, Jermarcus would text or call Justin, and sometimes make three-way calls.
Jermarcus said during one of those three-way conversations, the name on the phone was ‘C.’ Jermarcus agreed with Hagerman that the person later turned out to be Cornelius Smith. Jermarcus said he heard some of the conversation. Jermarcus also said he was getting texts from ‘C’ asking Justin to ask someone named ‘Unc’ about money for his little girl’s birthday. Jermarcus said at the time he did not know who ‘Unc’ was.
Hagerman also asked if Jermarcus knew who Big Jook was, he said he did not personally know Big Jook, but knew he was in the rap game. Prosecutors previously said Big Jook, Yo Gotti’s brother who was later murdered in January 2024, had put up $100,000 for someone to kill Dolph.
Jermarcus testified Justin never told him about his whereabouts. Jermarcus said he did post two photos for Justin, one of food and one of shoes. Jermarcus also recalled police approaching him, taking the phone and taking him in for questioning.
Jermarcus said he later posted other pictures for Justin, after police had seized Justin's phone that he had given Jermarcus.
Under cross examination, defense attorney Luke Evans only asked about Jermarcus posting to social media for Justin. Jermarcus said yes, he knew Justin was an aspiring rapper and had managed Justin's social media prior to the event to which he testified.
Jermarcus was the last person to take the stand of day two of the trial.
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