The suspects in the Young Dolph murder case have received an additional week to find legal representation for their defense.
After making their second court appearance on Friday, Jan. 28, Justin Johnson and Cornelius Smith stood before the bench without lawyers for their case regarding the murder of rapper Young Dolph.
The judge extended the courtesy of the court and gave them an extra week to hire representation, before saying he would appoint public defenders for them on Friday, Feb. 4.
Johnson, 23, and Smith, 32, were identified by the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office as the shooters of the 36-year-old rapper last November outside of the Makeda’s Cookie Shop on Airways Blvd.
Both men, according to ABC 24, were indicted on counts of first-degree premeditated murder, attempted first-degree murder, being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, employment of a firearm in the commission of a dangerous felony, and theft of property over $10,000.
They also declined public defenders during their initial court appearance to address the charges.
“If you have a lawyer hired, that’s fine, but as I told you 10 days ago, I cannot allow you to sit in jail week after week, month after month, without a lawyer. If you don’t have a lawyer hired on February 4th, I’m going to hire a private attorney to represent both of you all,” Judge Lee Coffee said.
Smith was caught in DeSoto County, Mississippi on a theft charge on Dec. 9 and brought to Memphis.
Johnson, like Young Dolph, was a rapper. He went by the name of Straight Drop and was arrested while on the run with a friend on Jan. 11 in Indiana by U.S. Marshals.
The friend was 26-year-old Shundale Barnett. Barnett, now, faces charges including accessory after the fact to first-degree murder for allegedly helping Johnson not get caught.
