“We finally got to see the full picture of what happened,” Young Dolph’s sister Carlisa Brown tells Rolling Stone. “It was worth the wait”
By Nancy Dillon
One of the two men charged with gunning down celebrated rapper Young Dolph at a Memphis bakery three years ago was convicted on all counts Thursday. After just four hours of deliberation, jurors found Justin Johnson, 26, guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
“As the thirteenth juror, I affirm this verdict. As to the first-degree murder, I sentence you to life in prison,” Shelby County Judge Jennifer Mitchell said as Johnson sat quietly during the proceeding streamed live by Law & Crime. The judge said she planned to sentence Johnson for the other two counts on November 1.
“I’m feeling relief that justice was brought today. We finally got to see the full picture of what happened, and it’s going to help with the healing process,” Young Dolph‘s sister Carlisa Brown tells Rolling Stone. Brown attended the trial in person and was in the courtroom Thursday when the verdict was read. She says prosecutors kept much of the case under wraps until this week for security reasons, including the claim that Johnson and his admitted accomplice, Cornelius Smith, carried out the slaying to collect part of an alleged $100,000 bounty purportedly offered by Anthony “Big Jook” Mims, the brother of Young Dolph’s longtime music rival Yo Gotti. “We had reassurance it was a strong case, but we didn’t know everything,” Brown says. “Based on the evidence, it wasn’t a shock [Johnson was convicted]. The person responsible had to reap the consequences and get what they deserved. It was worth the wait.”
In a statement posted on Instagram, Young Dolph’s fiancée Mia Jaye, the mother of his two children, said the verdict “brings relief and restores my confidence in the justice system.” She thanked law enforcement, prosecutors and “everyone involved for their diligent work” in securing the conviction. “We are also grateful to the public for standing with us and advocating for accountability throughout this process,” Jaye said. “The past three years, marked by the loss of Adolph and the events leading to the trial, have been incredibly frustrating. My faith has been tested, but Adolph’s tragic execution has only strengthened my resolve to fight – not only for him but for all Black men. This is just the beginning of our journey toward achieving full justice for Adolph, and we will patiently support the unfolding of that process.”