A judge set a trial date for two men accused of killing Young Dolph in Memphis.
Justin Johnson and Cornelius Smith will face trial on March 11, 2024. Judge Lee Coffee informed the defendants of the start date at a hearing on Friday (July 14).
Johnson and Smith were arrested on multiple charges, including first-degree murder, for the 2021 shooting death of Young Dolph. Both men pleaded not guilty to the charges. Prosecutors will not pursue the death penalty.
Two other men were charged in connection to Young Dolph’s death. Johnson’s brother Jermarcus pleaded guilty to three counts of accessory after the fact in June.
Jermarcus Johnson was not involved in the deadly shooting. Prosecutors said he helped his brother flee from Memphis to evade arrest.
Prosecutors dropped a conspiracy charge as part of their plea deal with Jermarcus Johnson. He is scheduled to be sentenced in August.
No trial date has been set for Hernandez Govan, the alleged mastermind behind Young Dolph’s murder. Prosecutors claim Govan hired Justin Johnson and Smith to kill Young Dolph.
Govan pleaded not guilty to several charges, including first-degree murder. He posted a $90,000 bond in May.
Young Dolph was shot and killed at a Memphis bakery in November 2021. He was 36.
