Two suspects in Young Dolph’s murder case plead not guilty
nme.comYoung Dolph, the two men indicted for his murder have pleaded not guilty.Upon their respective arrests in January, Justin Johnson (23) and Cornelius Smith (32) faced charges of first-degree murder and theft of property between $10,000 and $60,000.
Smith was also charged with attempted first-degree murder – it’s alleged he tried to shoot Dolph’s brother during the same incident that killed the rapper – unlawfully carrying or possessing a weapon, and employment of a firearm with intent to commit a felony.As reported by the Associated Press (via Billboard) Johnson and Smith pleaded not guilty to the charges last Friday (February 11), with both pleas being entered by their lawyers in Memphis’ Shelby County Criminal Court.In a statement obtained by AP, Johnson’s lawyer, Juni Ganguli, said he’d met with the suspect after Friday’s hearing.
The lawyer reportedly said his client was feeling “sad and confused”, noting: “I don’t think anyone’s ever happy when they’re indicted for first-degree murder.”According to prosecutor Paul Hagerman, the authorities working Dolph’s case are convinced they know the motives behind the rapper’s murder.
He stopped short of expounding on any details, but said it’s possible the case will qualify for the death penalty (which is legal in the US state of Tennessee).
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