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Young Dolph, born Adolph Thornton Jr., was tragically shot and killed in Memphis in 2021, and after a lengthy wait of three years, his murder trial has commenced. On Monday (Sept. 23), the first defendant, Justin “Straight Drop” Johnson, took to the witness stand.
Johnson faces multiple charges, including first-degree murder, illegal firearm possession, and theft. Hernandez Govan, who is alleged to have masterminded the deadly attack, is anticipated to testify next, followed by the third suspect, Cornelius Smith.
During his opening remarks, Shelby County Assistant District Attorney Paul Hagerman asserted that Yo Gotti’s late elder sibling, Big Jook, allegedly placed a $100,000 bounty on Dolph’s life.
“Big Jook, the individual I spoke of earlier — the second-in-command at [Yo Gotti’s] CMG — has issued a hit: $100,000 for the death of Dolph,” remarked Hagerman, as reported by FOX13. “He has had meetings with Justin. He has engaged with Cornelius, and they believe they’re prepared to carry it out.”
The District Attorney further claimed that Johnson was driven by the ambition to emerge as CMG’s next prominent artist, aspiring to utilize the bounty money to advance his music career.
Gotti and Dolph were involved in a longstanding rivalry, with many convinced that the demise of the “Preach” rapper was linked to their conflicts. The two notable figures from Memphis notoriously traded jabs in songs like “100 Shots,” “Play Wit Yo B**ch,” and “Don’t Beef With Me.”
Before the trial commenced, Dolph’s family issued a heartfelt statement: “We remain devastated by the loss of Adolph and trust that the justice system will ensure accountability for all parties involved in this crime. This has been an unimaginably challenging time for our family, yet the outpouring of love and support from the community has provided us with strength as we navigate this situation.”
They concluded, “We request privacy as the judicial process unfolds and patience from our supporters. We have faith that the justice system will serve Adolph, enabling us, along with the community he cherished, to start on the path to healing.”