Sep 24, 2024
Court is in recess. The trial will resume at 1:45 p.m. WREG.com will have live updates from the courtroom, all day long. Video will play above when court is in session. Tuesday, Noon: Prosecutors say video shows Justin Johnson leaving Crosstown Concourse in Midtown Memphis around 30 minutes before the killing. They say Johnson was staying at the Concourse. He is walking out with his daughter, leaving in the white Mercedes, wearing the outfit they say he committed Dolph's murder in. These are pictures prosecutors say show Johnson leaving Crosstown Concourse around 30 minutes before the killing. They say Johnson was staying at the concourse. He is walking out with his daughter, leaving in Mercedes. Wearing outfit they say he committed murder in @3onyourside pic.twitter.com/Bnc3PuOXow— Shay Arthur (@ShayA_WREG3) September 24, 2024 Tuesday morning: The first witness called is Terence Dabney, who was a homicide investigator on Young Dolph’s case. Dabney explained the kinds of shell casings found on scene. He said outside the business, they found two kinds: casings that came from an assault rifle and ones from a handgun. Inside, they found 9 mm casings, which came from Young Dolph’s brother’s gun when he shot back. Dabney said the weapons used in the shooting have never been recovered. He said the stolen Mercedes used in the shooting was recovered at an abandoned home in Orange Mound. Inside the car they said they found Cornelius Smith’s fingerprints. They showed video of suspects arriving to an apartment complex 37 minutes after the murder. ***** MEMPHIS, Tenn. — " I just wanted my money." Those were the words in court Monday from Cornelius Smith, one of the men accused in the ambush killing of Memphis rapper Young Dolph in 2021. Smith was testifying Monday against the other accused gunman, Justin Johnson. According to Smith, the two were hired to carry out a hit against Young Dolph — but never got their full payment. Monday's explosive testimony started with prosecutor Paul Hagerman painting the picture of that day for the jury, who were brought in from outside Shelby County. ► YOUNG DOLPH TRIAL: DAY 1 OF TESTIMONY Hagerman said Johnson, an aspiring rapper known as Straight Drop, shot Adolph Thornton Jr., better known as Young Dolph, along with a second man, Smith. Smith, who took the stand Monday, said the shooting came after a $100,000 hit was ordered by Big Jook, the older brother of rapper Yo Gotti, who was with rival record label CMG. Eight months ago, Big Jook was killed outside a Memphis nightclub. Prosecutors say the contract hit on Dolph was arranged by a third man, Hernandez Govan. Investigators say Govan would seek out new talent for CMG, and also provided drugs to Smith. Smith said they knew Dolph would be in town in late November of 2021 for his annual turkey giveaway."I can't tell how many times I shot. I was just continuously," Smith testified, describing the shooting at Makeda's Cookies on Airways. "I shot through the glass, so I wasn't close up on him. I was shooting through glass. I saw him standing by the window, just got out and started shooting." Smith said that moments after the shooting, he Facetimed Big Jook, using sign language to tell him Young Dolph had been shot. Smith said he was promised $40,000 for his role in the shooting — he said he actually received $500. Jurors were also shown a photo of the T-shirt worn by Young Dolph the day he was shot some 20 times. A medical examiner said he died of gunshot wounds to the head, torso and neck. Johnson's attorney says his client is innocent, saying there are two sides to every story, and Govan was using Johnson. "He liked to exploit. He liked to exploit young rappers like Mr. Johnson," he said. "He brings no skill to the table but you're going to hear testimony, he intended, his sole mission to get 30-60% piece from Mr. Johnson." It's still unclear whether Govan or Johnson will take the stand in this trial.
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