Young Dolph’s fiancée believes more people were involved in his murder than those who’ve been charged in the case thus far.
Speaking to WREG, Mia Jaye was asked what justice for Young Dolph looks like to her and she answered with a rather candid reply, insinuating that the alleged triggerman, Justin Johnson, may just be a patsy.
“It looks like the truth coming to the forefront, not just a fall guy, a fall that won’t be good enough,” she said. “Everybody who had any type of involvement with this being brought to justice, being brought front and center, being handed a sentence.”
At the time of his death, Young Dolph was involved in a back-and-forth feud with Yo Gotti, with both artists releasing diss tracks against each other.
Dolph’s song “Play Wit Yo B-tch” and Gotti’s response “Don’t Beef Wit Me” highlighted their rivalry. Despite their musical exchanges, Dolph claimed there was no personal issue that needed to be settled with Gotti.
However, the violence that seemed to follow Young Dolph’s murder suggested otherwise.
Blac Youngsta, a rapper signed with Yo Gotti’s CMG label., was arrested for his involvement in a shooting targeting Young Dolph in Charlotte, North Carolina in 2016.
The incident involved more than 100 rounds of gunfire targeted at Young Dolph’s bulletproof truck. Blac Youngsta, along with two other men, surrendered to police in relation to the shootout.
Authorities recovered a cache of weapons and seized a minivan involved in the incident. Furthermore, Howard “Keon” Wright, Yo Gotti’s road manager and label vice president, pleaded guilty to charges connected to the shooting. He was convicted of several charges, including discharging a firearm into occupied property and conspiracy to discharge a firearm into an occupied dwelling and sentenced to 10 to 14 years in prison.
Young Dolph was shot outside the Loews Hotel in Los Angeles in September 2017, an incident involving a member of Yo Gotti’s entourage. The suspect, 43-year-old Corey McClendon, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder but released the next day without charges. No arrest was subsequently made in the case.
Multiple suspects have been collared for the death of rapper Young Dolph on November 17, 2021 in his hometown of Memphis.
Initially, Justin Johnson and Cornelius Smith were arrested and pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder charges. They also faced accusations of attempted first-degree murder, being convicted felons in possession of a firearm, employment of a firearm during a dangerous felony and theft of property over $10,000.
Hernandez Govan emerged as the third suspect. He was hit with charges including first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.
Another individual Shundale Barnett was charged with accessory after the fact of first-degree murder. Jermarcus Johnson pleaded guilty to three counts of accessory after the fact. He secured his release after accepting a plea deal. Joshua Taylor and Devin Burns were later identified as suspects by the Memphis Police Department.
So far, prosecutors have yet to reveal a motive for the slaying of Young Dolph as the first suspects prepare for trial, which is already embroiled in a mild controversy.
Judge Lee Coffee, who was presiding over the trial, was ordered to step down by the Court of Criminal Appeals. The decision stemmed from a dispute involving one of the defendants, Justin Johnson, also known as “Straight Drop.” Johnson, while incarcerated, released a song titled “No Statements” on YouTube.
Upon discovering the song, Judge Coffee reportedly contacted the chief jailer and ordered Johnson to be placed in administrative isolation despite the jail’s conclusion that Johnson hadn’t violated any rules by recording the song.
Johnson’s lawyers questioned Judge Coffee’s impartiality, prompting a request for his recusal. Although Judge Coffee initially declined this request, the decision was later appealed.
The Court of Criminal Appeals ruled that “it would appear to a reasonable person that Judge Coffee has a prejudice of a personal character directed at the defendant,” leading to his removal from the case.
A new judge will oversee the trial, which involves Justin Johnson and co-defendants Jermarcus Johnson, Cornelius Smith and Hernandez Govan.
“For me to see this play out as if it is some type of entertainment. We got songs being made, but how are these people getting held accountable? Right. The judge being pulled off the case because of him reprimanding the situation?” Mia Jaye added. “Like we not about to play this out like it’s some reality TV show in ink, in living color. You know, that’s a disrespect to me. That’s a disrespect to my family and it’s a disrespect to Adolph.”
Justin Johnson and Cornelius Smith are scheduled to stand trial on March 11.