Attorneys delivered their closing statements in the Young Dolph murder trial on Thursday (September 26). Jurors never heard from the alleged mastermind Hernandez Govan, who was expected to testify against his co-defendant Justin Johnson.
Johnson, one of the two alleged shooters, was the lone man on the trial for Young Dolph’s 2021 murder. Cornelius Smith, the other gunman, confessed to the murder and identified Johnson as his accomplice in testimony on Monday (September 23). Govan never took the stand.
“I don’t want to go into too much detail but not every potential witness that we might have is necessary in a case,” Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy told reporters. “It’s not always necessary to bring everything you have to bear in order to prove everything beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Johnson’s lawyer Luke Evans called out the prosecution for not calling Govan as a witness in Thursday’s closing statements. Evans suggested Govan was left out of the trial because his testimony would’ve been “unfavorable.”
“I don’t have the ability to wave a magic wand and give him a reduced sentence if he comes in and testify for me, so he’s to my exclusion, to Mr. Johnson’s exclusion and to your exclusion,” Evans told the jury. “And if this is a truth-seeking function, why didn’t the state call him?”
The prosecution denied Evans’ argument. Shelby County Deputy District Attorney Paul Hagerman said Govan had the right not to incriminate himself.
“He is a defendant,” Hagerman declared. “He is not a missing witness. That would be be insane.”
Johnson, Smith and Govan were charged with first-degree murder for Young Dolph’s shooting death. Smith and Govan haven’t formally accepted plea deals but weren’t tried alongside Johnson.
Smith said he and Johnson killed Young Dolph to collect a $100,000 hit put on the late rapper’s head by Yo Gotti’s brother Big Jook. Govan allegedly helped orchestrate the murder.
Anthony “Big Jook” Mims was shot and killed in Memphis in January. No arrests have been made in connection to his death.
Jurors began deliberations in the Young Dolph murder trial on Thursday afternoon. Johnson faced up to life in prison if convicted.