A jury found a man not guilty Thursday of organizing the daytime ambush killing of rapper Young Dolph at a Memphis bakery in November 2021. The Memphis jury deliberated about three hours before finding Hernandez Govan, 45, not guilty of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, the AP reports. Govan hugged his lawyer and thanked Shelby County Judge Jennifer Mitchell after she told him he was free to go.
Govan was not accused of shooting Young Dolph, but prosecutors claimed he directed the two people who did. The jury was not convinced, however, despite a man's testimony that Govan hired him to "do the hits" and was going to take $10,000 as his cut. Govan's lawyer questioned the quality of the police investigation and the validity of cellphone communications between Govan and the men who shot Dolph, arguing that nothing in the communications directly incriminated Govan or tied him to the killings.
- Young Dolph, whose legal name is Adolph Thornton Jr., was a rapper, independent label owner and producer who grew up in Memphis and was admired in the city for his charitable works. The 36-year-old was in his hometown to hand out Thanksgiving turkeys to families when his visit to his favorite cookie shop turned into an attack that shocked the entertainment world.
- Authorities said two men exited a white Mercedes Benz and began shooting at the rapper at the bakery. He died after being shot about 20 times, according to a medical examiner's report.
- Testifying against Govan was Cornelius Smith Jr., who has admitted to being one of the two shooters who ambushed Young Dolph. Smith previously was the main witness against Justin Johnson, who was convicted of first-degree murder in 2024 after Smith named him as the second shooter.
- Memphis prosecutors have portrayed the killing as part of an effort by Anthony "Big Jook" Mims to get revenge on Young Dolph for diss tracks aimed at Big Jook and the record label he helped run for his brother, rapper Yo Gotti. Smith has testified that Big Jook put out a $100,000 hit on Young Dolph as well as smaller bounties on all the artists at Young Dolph's record label, Paper Route Empire. Big Jook was shot and killed outside a restaurant in January 2024.
- Prosecutors introduced as evidence dozens of cellphone communications between Johnson, Smith, Govan, and Big Jook ahead of the shooting. Govan's defense attorney, Manny Arora, tried to paint Smith as an unreliable witness who would say anything to try to get a lighter sentence.
- Smith is charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder but has pleaded not guilty and does not yet have a trial date. Johnson was sentenced last September to life in prison with the possibility of parole.
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