Jury acquits man charged with planning rapper Young Dolph’s murder

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC/Gray News)- The accused mastermind behind the death of rapper Young Dolph was acquitted on Thursday.

A jury found Hernandez Govan not guilty of both counts, first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

Young Dolph was murdered in a daytime ambush at a Memphis bakery in November 2021.

Govan was not accused of shooting Young Dolph, but of organizing the hit. Prosecutors claimed Govan had directed the two people who committed the ambush.

The 12-person jury was composed of five men and seven women. Deliberations lasted about an hour on Wednesday night, before they also started back up on Thursday morning.

After spending the morning in deliberation, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty, resulting in Govan’s legal team rejoicing.

Govan and his legal representation later spoke with WMC, addressing the verdict and what it could mean for the future of Memphis’ justice system.

When asked if he felt like his verdict could bring about change to the justice system, Govan negated, “I doubt it.”

His attorney added that “if this is a microcosm of what’s going on, we should all be worried,” alluding to the recent questions about our jail and the lawmakers presiding over it.

“We need to figure out why so many people are in jail and why they are being kept without bond,” Govan’s attorney said.

During the trial, the jury heard from Cornelius Smith Jr., who previously admitted that he and another man, identified as Justin Johnson, were the two shooters who ambushed Young Dolph. Johnson was convicted of first-degree murder in 2024.

Smith testified against Govan and claimed Govan had hired him to “do the hits.” He claimed that he wasn’t aware of the hit against Young Dolph until Govan told him, and that Govan was the one to tell him and Johnson that Young Dolph would be in Memphis during November.

Govan’s defense attorney told the jury that Smith was an unreliable witness and a “pathological liar” who was trying to save himself.

Smith is charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. He has pleaded not guilty to both charges and does not have a trial date. Govan’s attorney claimed Smith was testifying in hopes of receiving a lighter sentence.