Young Dolph's alleged killers get new trial date

Young Dolph's alleged killers have been given a new trial date, almost three years after the rapper's death.

The trial of Justin Johnson and Cornelius Smith for Dolph's murder was originally scheduled to begin in March, then postponed until June, but has now been pushed back with a new start date of September 23.

The continued delay in the trial is due to the prosecution and defense requesting an extension that would give them time to prepare witnesses to appear.

Shelby County Judge Jennifer J. Mitchell granted the request, but was not very pleased.

“As we all know, this case must go to trial today,” she said in court on Monday (June 3). “I was extremely upset when the attorneys came to me asking for a motion to continue this case.

“I was really looking forward to finishing this case starting this week, but they both expressed to the court a desire to bring in experts, so I allowed the prosecution to proceed.”

Young Dolph (real name Adolph Thornton Jr.) was killed in November 2021 after two men got out of a stolen Mercedes-Benz and fired several shots at a bakery in Memphis, with the incident caught on camera by CCTV.

Two other men were also charged for their involvement in the murder. Jemarcus Johnson pleaded guilty to three counts of accessory after the fact to murder, but has not yet been sentenced.

Hernández Govan was also accused of ordering the murder, which he denied. He is currently awaiting a trial date.

Dolph's partner at the time of his death, Mia Jaye, has previously expressed frustration with the length of the case.

“I'm tired of it. It's been two years of conspiracies. Two years of recklessness. Two years of people not communicating with you properly,” she said. rolling stone Last year.

“I didn't know if getting more attention was going to hurt or help, and I wanted to help. I feel like I tried that, and I don't feel like it helped. I feel like we weren't taken seriously.

Jaye also said her discontent intensified when she learned from the media, not authorities, that the original judge assigned to the case had been removed from office by the Tennessee Court of Appeals, who she said had failed to take Dolph's loved ones into account.