Almost two years after the tragic shooting death of Young Dolph, the alleged perpetrators, Justin Johnson and Cornelius Smith, have been given a trial date.
The murder of the Memphis rapper, whose real name was Adolph Thornton Jr., occurred on November 17, 2021, at Makeda’s Homemade Cookies in Memphis, Tennessee.
The trial proceedings will begin after the judge’s decision on Friday, July 14.
Billboard reported that Johnson and Smith, both pleading not guilty to first-degree murder charges, are slated for trial on March 11. The motive behind the killing has not been revealed.
Last month, ABC24 reported a potential setback that occurred in the murder case as a person of interest, Joshua “CEO Teezy” Taylor, was found dead in the Orange Mound district of Memphis, shot and killed on the corner of Spottswood Avenue and Buntyn Street.
Due to a lack of leads, authorities sought assistance from the public to identify the possible perpetrator(s) involved in Taylor’s murder case.
Taylor was first mentioned as a person of interest in Young Dolph’s murder alongside Devin Burns in February 2022.
After their arrest and identification as the main suspects in the shooting, Johnson and Smith were given ultimatums to find defense lawyers.
According to court documents, Smith succeeded in obtaining a lawyer, while Johnson had one appointed for him by the court.
