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Prosecutors in Shelby County have alleged that Big Jook, brother of rapper Yo Gotti and a key figure in the CMG record label, ordered a $100,000 hit on fellow Memphis rapper Young Dolph, whose real name was Adolf Thornton Jr. The prosecution claims that the battle between Yo Gotti's record company, CMG, and Young Dolph's Paper Route Empire (PRE) was the driving force behind this. Deputy District Attorney Paul Hagerman described during Monday's opening comments how this rivalry culminated in Thornton's murder over three years prior.
Rapper Straight Drop, also known as Justin Johnson, was purportedly enticed by Big Jook with the prospect of a CMG signing deal—but only if Johnson executed the hit on Young Dolph. According to Hagerman, Johnson went to Atlanta under the guise of signing a contract with the CMG record company, along with Hernandez Govan, the suspected architect of the shooting. Prosecutors countered that this trip was a component of the scheme to destroy Young Dolph.
Tensions had been high throughout the years in the long-standing competition between CMG and Paper Route Empire. With his label, Thornton had made a name for himself in the Memphis rap scene, and word spread that the two groups' rising popularity contributed to an increase in hostilities.
Johnson’s Alleged Role in the Murder
It is said that Justin Johnson, who is currently on trial for his role in Thornton's murder, took Big Jook's hit. Throughout the trial, the prosecution showed security footage they said showed Johnson at the murder site. Moments before Thornton was shot to death, two guys could be seen getting out of a white Mercedes in the Memphis footage that was taken outside Makeda's Homemade Cookies. Hagerman claims that Cornelius Smith, the second man in the video, was seen with a semi-automatic weapon, while Johnson was the one carrying a pistol. Smith is charged in relation to the murder as well.
Hagerman identified particular items of evidence to connect Johnson to the crime, such as clothes he is said to have worn at the time, including a hat from Bass Pro Shop. Luke Evans, Johnson's lawyer, retorted, claiming that Johnson's participation cannot be proven beyond a reasonable doubt despite the similarity in apparel. Evans said that his client did not murder Young Dolph and that the prosecution's evidence did not establish a clear connection between him and the gunshot.
Hernandez Govan’s Alleged Involvement
Hagerman claims Hernandez Govan, whom the prosecution characterized as the murder's mastermind, was also heavily involved in the sequence of events that culminated in Thornton's demise. Govan and Big Jook are said to have planned the murder to get rid of Young Dolph as a competitor for CMG. Even though Govan isn't on trial right now, the prosecution nonetheless relies heavily on his role in the case.
Govan's purported involvement in the crime begs more concerns regarding the extent of CMG and Paper Route Empire's rivalry and how far it went beyond the music business. According to the prosecution, Govan and other CMG executives thought Young Dolph posed a direct danger to their business, therefore they took drastic steps to deal with the alleged rival.
Testimonies in the Trial
On the first day of the trial, testimony from important witnesses strengthened the prosecution's case. Young Dolph's close friend and security guard Raul Hopkins related multiple incidents of violence against the musician before he passed away. Hopkins brought up a particular instance that happened in Charlotte, North Carolina, when a van that Thornton was in a few minutes before was shot up. This episode was described as a continuation of the competing factions' longstanding trend of hostility.
Along with Hopkins, Erica Thornton, Thornton's sister, also spoke out and gave an emotional recollection of the last time she had seen her brother. She was clearly upset when she spoke to the jury, describing how she had seen him months before to the shooting. The human toll the tragedy has taken on Thornton's family was highlighted by her testimony.
Though Smith and Govan are not currently on trial, district attorney Steve Mulroy, who saw portions of the opening comments, subsequently told reporters that they may be asked to testify as the trial moves forward.
The Investigation Continues
As the trial unfolds, prosecutors are expected to present more evidence linking Johnson, Smith, and others involved in the killing to the plot allegedly hatched by Big Jook and Hernandez Govan. Surveillance footage and forensic evidence remain key components of the prosecution's argument as they attempt to prove Johnson's involvement beyond a reasonable doubt.
While Johnson’s defense has focused on the lack of direct evidence, the prosecution's case aims to demonstrate how an industry rivalry led to a deadly outcome, with Young Dolph’s rising success seen as a major factor in the motive for his murder.