Justin Johnson, the man convicted of the shooting death of rapper Young Dolph, has been sentenced to additional prison time following his earlier convictions. On Friday, Judge Jennifer Mitchell imposed a 35-year sentence for conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and an additional 15 years for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Both sentences will be served concurrently.
Johnson was found guilty of multiple charges, including first-degree murder, conspiracy, and being a convicted felon with a handgun. The sentences were handed down after emotional statements were read from Young Dolph's family in the courtroom. In their statement, they addressed Johnson directly, saying, “You may deny your actions, but the evidence speaks clearly. You showed yourself to be driven by jealousy and cowardice.”
During the sentencing, Shelby County Deputy District Attorney Paul Hagerman recommended a total of 60 years—40 years for conspiracy and 20 for the firearm charge—along with consecutive sentences. However, Johnson's attorney, Luke Evans, argued against consecutive sentencing, pointing out that Johnson’s life sentence leaves him ineligible for parole until his mid-70s.
In the wake of the sentencing, Johnson's legal team filed a motion on October 25, 2024, requesting the court to vacate his sentence and grant a new trial. They contend that the evidence was insufficient to support the first-degree murder conviction and criticized the court for allowing graphic images of the victim's body and autopsy photographs to be presented at trial.
Young Dolph was fatally shot on November 17, 2021, at Makeda’s Homemade Butter Cookies in Memphis. The attack occurred when two masked gunmen entered the store and opened fire, leading to the rapper's untimely death.
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