The trial against Hernandez Govan is on day two after Monday’s start. Govan is charged with organizing the daytime ambush killing of Young Dolph at a Memphis bakery in November 2021. The 45-year-old faces charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and attempted murder. While prosecutors aren’t arguing that Hernandez Govan pulled the trigger, they do claim he set up the whole play for the two shooters who did.
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Young Dolph, whose legal name is Adolph Thornton Jr., was a rapper, independent label owner, and producer who grew up in Memphis. Aside from the music, the city also cherished him for his charitable works. When the ambush happened, the 36-year-old was in his hometown to hand out Thanksgiving turkeys to families. He had stopped to visit his favorite cookie shop. Then, that turned into an attack that shocked the entertainment world.
One Of Young Dolph’s Shooters Spilled It All
Memphis prosecutors have portrayed the killing as part of an effort by Anthony ‘Big Jook’ Mims to get revenge on Young Dolph for tracks dissing Big Jook and the record label he helped run for his brother, Yo Gotti.
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Cornelius Smith Jr., who admitted to being one of the shooters who killed Young Dolph, has been helping them build that case. He’s flipped on everyone involved, including his co-shooter, Justin Johnson. He testified that Big Jook put out a $100,000 hit on Young Dolph. Additionally, Jook allegedly had smaller bounties on all the artists at Young Dolph’s record label, Paper Route Empire. Big Jook was shot and killed outside a restaurant in January 2024.
big jooSmith kept the same energy at Hernandez Govan‘s trial on Monday. He testified: “I didn’t know anything about Paper Route having no hits,” before Govan told him about them, per the Associated Press. He said Govan hired him to “do the hits” and was going to take $10,000 as his cut. Cornelius Smith Jr. also said Govan was who told him and Justin Johnson that Young Dolph would be in Memphis for the volunteer event. He called it their “opportunity,” per Smith.
Hernandez Govan’s Lawyer Calls Out Main Witness Testimony
Govan’s defense attorney, Manny Arora, tried to paint Cornelius Smith as an unreliable witness who would say anything to get a lighter sentence. Arora pointed to previous testimony in which Smith recalled a chance encounter with Big Jook. At the time, Smith implied that Big Jook was the person who hired him. After Smith was arrested, his attorney called Big Jook’s attorney and received somewhere between $38,000 and $50,000 in cash. Smith said on Monday that he did not know who had provided the money.
Smith also testified that he previously heard that Hernandez Govan might be working with the FBI. Arora asked why Smith would take a job from Govan if that were the case. Smith said that Govan was “innocent until proven guilty.”
What Were The Shooters Charged With?
Smith is charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder. He has pleaded not guilty and does not yet have a trial date.
Justin Johnson was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole in September 2024. He was later sentenced for two other convictions from the trial: conspiracy to commit murder and being a felon in possession of a gun.
As mentioned, Smith previously was the main witness against Justin Johnson and named him as the second shooter. Johnson was convicted of first-degree murder last year. A judge sentenced him to life in prison with the possibility of parole in September 2024. He was later sentenced for two other convictions from the trial: conspiracy to commit murder and being a felon in possession of a gun.
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Associated Press writers Adrian Sainz and Travis Loller contributed to this report via AP Newsroom.
