A man in charge of organizing the trial during the day Ambush kills young dolphins rapper In November 2021, a bakery at the Memphis bakery began on Monday.
Hernandez Govan, 45, faces charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and attempted murder. He has not been accused of shooting young dolphins, but prosecutors claim he directed Two people Who did it? CBS Wreg reported that he rejected the state's proposal to plead guilty.
The legal name of the young Dolph is Adolph Thornton Jr., a rapper, independent record label owner and producer, grew up in Memphis and was admired for his charitable work. The 36-year-old distributes Thanksgiving turkey to families in his hometown when his visit to his favorite cookie shop turned into an attack that shocked the entertainment industry.
Mark Weber/Daily Memphian via AP, Pool
City officials and community activists pointed out that the killings were a symbol of the danger of gun violence in Memphis, with more than 300 homicides that year.
Prosecutors in Memphis portrayed the killing as part of Anthony “Big Jook” Mims in revenge on young Dolph to target diss tracks against Big Jook and ran for record labels for his brother Yo Gotti.
Big Jook was shot dead outside a restaurant earlier this year.
On Monday, the testimony against Gowan was Cornelius Smith Jr. Smith was formerly the main witness to Justin Johnson, who was convicted of first-degree murder in 2024 after Smith appointed him as the second shooter. Smith had previously testified that Big Jook sent a $100,000 blow to young Dolph, and a smaller bounty from all artists at Young Dolph’s record label Paper Route Empire.
Smith is charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder, but has not pleaded not guilty and has no trial date yet. Johnson was sentenced to life imprisonment in September 2024. He was later sentenced for two other convictions at the trial: conspiracy to murder and becoming a felony in possession of a firearm.
“I don't know about paper roads without hitting the ball,” Smith testified Monday, Gowan told him about their situation. He said Govan hired him to “do clicks” and would cut $10,000. Smith said Gowan was also telling him and Johnson that the young Dorf would volunteer in Memphis, so “this is our opportunity.”
Meanwhile, Gowan's defense attorney Manny Arora tried to portray Smith as an unreliable witness, what they would say, trying to sentence a lighter sentence.
Arora points to previous testimony, and Smith recalls the opportunity with Big Jook. At the time, Smith suggested that Big Jock was the one who hired him. After Smith's arrest, his attorney called Big Jook's attorney and received $38,000 to $50,000 in cash. Smith said Monday that he didn't know who provided the money.
Smith also testified that he had previously heard that Gowan might be working with the FBI. Arora asks Smith why this is the case. Smith said Gowan was “until proved guilty.”
Young Dolph began his career, unleashing many mixtapes. His studio albums include his debut “The King of Memphis” in 2016. He has also collaborated with rappers Key Glock, Megan Thee Stallion, Ti, Gucci Mane, 2 Chainz and others to produce other mixtapes and albums. Young Dolph has three albums on the top 10 on the Billboard 200, and 2020's “Rich Slave” hit fourth.
He is one of the music stars Grammy Awards In a memo at the 2022 awards ceremony.
In a 2024 interview with the Associated Press, young Dorf’s sister Carlisa Brown called her brother killing “a very meaningless murder”, adding that his family wants everyone to be involved in it for the justice it deserves.
The attack that killed the rapper wasn't the first time he was targeted. In 2017, the young Dolph contacted three men and shot “beef”. He was seriously injured, but survived. Earlier that year, he was involved in another shooting, firing at least 100 bullets on his SUV.