Young Dolph‘s loved ones have come one step closer to seeing justice served for the slain rapper’s death, as a jury has been selected in the case against three of his alleged killers.
On Friday (September 20), ABC24 in Memphis reported that a jury consisting of people who reside outside of Shelby County, Tennessee has been identified, as requested by on of the defense attorneys in this case.
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The request was made due to the fact that Dolph’s 2021 shooting was heavily covered by local media in his hometown of Memphis.
The change of venue request, originally filed in February by the attorney for Justin Johnson was one of several delays to impact this trial, which was originally set to start in March.
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Johnson, Cornelius Smith Jr. and Hernandez Govan are now set to appear before Judge Jennifer Mitchell beginning Monday (September 23).
Smith and Johnson are charged with first degree murder, as well as multiple additional felony charges related to Dolph’s death. Govan, on the other hand, stands accused of ordering the hit on the 36-year-old rapper, born Adolph Thornton, Jr.
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The trial of Justin Johnson and Cornelius Smith was previously delayed until June, before being pushed back further to its current start date.
The continued delay of the trial was due to both the prosecution and defense requesting a continuance which would allow them time to prepare witnesses for court.
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Shelby County Judge Jennifer J. Mitchell granted the motion but was not overly pleased.
“As we all know, this case was set for trial today,” she said in court on June 3. “I was extremely upset when the lawyers came to me, asking for a motion to continue this case. I was really anxious to get this case over and done with starting this week, but they both expressed to the court the desire to get experts in. So I allowed the continuance to occur.”
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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 into a bakery in Memphis, with the incident captured on CCTV.
In addition to the three men set to stand trial for his murder, Jemarcus Johnson has pleaded guilty to three counts of serving as an accessory after the killing but has not yet been sentenced.
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Dolph’s partner at the time of his death, Mia Jaye, has previously expressed her frustration with how long the case has dragged on.
“I’m fed up. It’s been two years’ worth of conspiracies. Two years’ worth of unknowing. Two years’ worth of people not properly communicating to you,” she told Rolling Stone last year.
“I didn’t know if garnering more attention would hurt or help, and I wanted to help. I feel like I tried that, and I don’t feel like it was helping. I feel like we weren’t being taken seriously.”
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Jaye also said her annoyance escalated when she learned through the media, not authorities, that the original judge in the case was removed by the Tennessee appeals court, which she felt disregarded Dolph’s loved ones.
