A judge sentenced Young Dolph’s killer Justin Johnson to an additional 35 years in prison on Friday (November 1). Johnson received 35 years for conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and 15 years for being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun. Judge Jennifer Mitchell ordered the sentences to be served concurrently.
Johnson was found guilty of first-degree murder in September. He was one of the two gunmen who shot and killed Young Dolph at a Memphis bakery in 2021.
Judge Mitchell previously sentenced Johnson to life in prison for the murder charge. Johnson requested a new trial in a motion filed on October 25.
“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,” Johnson’s lawyer Luke Evans wrote. “The trial court erred by admitting gruesome photographs of the victim’s body at the crime scene. The trial erred by admitting gruesome autopsy photographs. The trial court erred by denying Johnson’s repeated motions to allow him to sit at the counsel table. The cumulative effect of multiple errors at trial warrants granting Mr. Johnson a new trial.”
Young Dolph’s fiancée Mia Jaye criticized Johnson’s bid for a new trial.
“It’s infuriating to see the person who took our loved one’s life now seeking a new trial over ‘insufficient evidence,” she said. “Their arrogance feels like a cruel joke to me and my loved ones. We won’t let this deter us; we will keep fighting for justice and honor the memory of [Young Dolph].”
Cornelius Smith, the other gunman, admitted to his role in Young Dolph’s murder when he testified against Johnson. Smith’s next court date is scheduled for November 15.
Hernandez Govan, the man who allegedly orchestrated Young Dolph’s murder, was given a November 22 deadline to accept a plea deal. Govan’s trial is scheduled to start in March 2025.
