One of the three men in the Young Dolph murder case received a life-altering update. Justin Johnson is going to be staying in prison for life after the four issues he raised from his trial were all denied. Per Fox 13 Memphis, the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals and Judge Matthew J. Wilson affirmed the trial court's 2024 conviction.
Johnson was convicted of premeditated first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The first of four issues Johnson argued was in regard to there being sufficient evidence for the jury to convict him. The appeals court ruled there was, using video footage of Young Dolph's murder. A long list of cell phone records and surveillance video detailing Johnson's movements before and after the shooting were also used against him. Moreover, the jury brought forth the testimony of Johnson’s admitted accomplice Cornelius Smith.
The second discussion revolved around the trial judge’s decision to allow jury members to see two photos of the Memphis rapper's body. That too was not ruled in Johnson's favor. The appeals court said both were allowable and that it did not sway the jury's decision.
Young Dolph's Murder Case
Johnson's third issue in his appeal was him having to sit behind his attorneys instead of being with them. The reason at the time for ruling was for safety concerns due to the nature of the case. Once again, the appeals court was in agreement with the trial court’s rule.
Last was a comment from by a prosecutor during the closing arguments about the decision to not have a certain witness testify. The court of appeals said that Johnson's reps didn't object to the comment during the trial. Moreover, the only did so afterwards, effectively making this a moot issue. The court of appeals said, "the evidence of defendant’s guilt was overwhelming, and the prosecutor’s comments were brief."
This update for Johnson follows a February report on Cornelius Smith's situation. He is working with prosecutors on finalizing a plea deal. Last month, he was expected to plead guilty with that in mind. But the hearing for it is now March 30 so things can be smoothed out. It's more so for the Tennessee Department of Corrections, so that they know where they will house him going forward.
