Man Convicted Of Young Dolph’s Murder Gets 35 Years Added To Life Sentence

In September, Justin Johnson, one of two people who were charged in the fatal ambush shooting of Memphis rapper Young Dolph in 2021, was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. On Friday (Nov. 31), the 26-year-old has been slapped with an additional 35 years behind bars, making his chances of ever being turned loose on society again look all the more grim.

According to the Associated Press, Johnson was sentenced Friday for his two other convictions, conspiracy to commit murder and being a felon in possession of a gun.

Johnson, an aspiring rapper, already had three aggravated assault convictions before Nov. 17, 2021, when he shot and killed Dolph, named Adolph Thornton Jr., at a bakery in Memphis. The “Talking To My Scale” rapper was in Memphis to hand out Thanksgiving turkeys to families when his visit to his favorite cookie shop turned deadly.

From AP:

During the trial, co-defendant Cornelius Smith testified that rapper Yo Gotti’s brother, Anthony “Big Jook” Mims, had put out a $100,000 hit on Young Dolph as well as bounties on all the artists at Young Dolph’s record label, Paper Route Empire. Smith said he and Johnson were “looking for somebody” and “didn’t know who we were going to catch.”

They knew that Young Dolph and some of his artists were participating in the turkey giveaway, so they were heading in that direction when they saw Young Dolph’s car. They followed him to the cookie shop and opened fire in broad daylight, Smith said. Young Dolph was hit 22 times and died at the scene.

Prosecutor Paul Hagerman noted during the sentencing hearing that Johnson committed the murder-for-hire in broad daylight at a public place with “no hesitation. Dolph’s family members also made statements, including his sister, who said in a statement that the family feels “anger, anxiety and grief” over the death of Dolph, who “created a legacy that will endure long after this tragedy.”

“In a world full of envy, jealousy and arrogance, many fail to realize the impact of their actions until it’s too late,” the statement continued.