He killed Young Dolph at a Memphis cookie shop, gets life term

One of the men involved in the murder of rapper Young Dolph was sentenced to life in prison Thursday after a four-day trial in Memphis, Tenn.

After four hours of deliberation, Justin Johnson was found guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and possession of a handgun by a felon. The judge sentenced him to a life term, according to the Shelby County district attorney. Johnson will be sentenced for the two latter charges in November.

Young Dolph, whose real name was Adolph Thornton Jr., was shot in November 2021 while inside Makeda’s Homemade Butter Cookies, a popular cookie shop on Airways Boulevard in Memphis.

Johnson’s co-conspirator, Cornelius Smith — who admitted to being one of the gunmen in the killing — testified that he and Johnson were hired to kill Thornton. In return they were to receive $40,000 each, the district attorney said. According to court documents, the man who took out the hit was Anthony Mims, or Big Jook, the brother of Mario Mims, a Memphis rapper known as Yo Gotti who founded the record label Collective Music Group.

Anthony Mims was killed by gunfire outside Perignons Restaurant and Event Center in January, according to Fox 13.

Thornton and Mario Mims had traded diss tracks for a decade after Thornton said he turned down a record deal with the label. Thornton wrote the single “100 Shots” after a targeted attack in 2017 sent about 100 rounds into a bulletproof car he was riding in, USA Today reported — Blac Youngsta, a Gotti associate, surrendered to authorities in 2019 for his alleged involvement in the shooting, although charges were eventually dropped.

Defendant Justin Johnson, left, appears in court as the murder trial of rapper Young Dolph begins in Memphis, Tenn., on Sept. 23, 2024.

(Mark Weber / Daily Memphian / Associated Press)

Defense attorneys argued Johnson’s DNA was never found in the white Mercedes that was caught on video speeding away from the murder scene, nor were the guns used in the killing recovered. But video shown at the trial by prosecutors showed Johnson at his apartment the night of the murder wearing the same clothes as seen on a suspect at the murder scene. They also had phone records showing he’d been in contact with Big Jook as well as Hernandez Govan, who allegedly orchestrated the killing, prior to and after the shooting. Govan is also a defendant in the case.

“Today’s verdict brings relief and restores my confidence in the justice system,” Mia Jaye, Thornton’s partner, said in a statement on Instagram after the verdict was announced. “My faith has been tested, but Adolph’s tragic execution has only strengthened my resolve to fight for justice — not only for him but for all Black men. This is just the beginning of our journey toward achieving full justice for Adolph, and we will patiently support the unfolding of that process.”