The trial for the individuals charged with the murder of Memphis rapper Young Dolph is set to formally commence this morning. This case marks nearly three years since the tragic shooting at Makeda’s Cookies on Airways Boulevard in Memphis, where 36-year-old Adolph Thorton Jr., known as Young Dolph, was fatally injured, as confirmed by WREG.
According to FOX13 Memphis, Justin Johnson, also known as "Straight Drop," is the primary defendant set to face trial first and has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder. Due to extensive media coverage potentially influencing Memphis-based jurors, it has been decided to bring in a jury from Nashville to definitely avoid any partiality.
The prosecution's list of suspects includes Hernandez Govan, accused of orchestrating the murder, and Justin Johnson and Cornelius Smith, alleged to have been the shooters. As noted by sources cited by Local Memphis, a fourth individual, Jermarcus Johnson, has admitted his guilt to three counts of being an accessory after the fact and was released on bond awaiting sentencing. The judicial directive anticipates a sentence ranging from 6 to 12 years.
However intricate the weave of media attention and community emotion, attorney Leslie Ballin, in an interview obtained by Local Memphis, stands firm on the notion that "Generally, no matter how much publicity a case's gotten, a jury can be found that has either not heard of the case or, despite what they have heard, could still judge the case on the proof that is presented in the courtroom." The trial is expected to unfold swiftly, with prosecution indicating a timeframe of just a few days, as per WREG.
