Cornelius Smith in Memphis: Plea Deal, Cooperation, and Sentence

Cornelius Smith, one of the two gunmen who killed Memphis rapper Young Dolph, accepted a plea deal on May 15, 2026, pleading guilty to second-degree murder in Shelby County Criminal Court. He was sentenced to 20 years in the Tennessee Department of Correction, to be served at 100 percent with no possibility of parole or early release.¹² Smith was the last of the defendants in the case to be resolved.

What Charges Were Dropped

Smith had originally been indicted by a Shelby County grand jury on January 11, 2022, on charges that included first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, convicted felon in possession of a firearm, employment of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony, and theft of property over $10,000. All of those original counts were dropped under the plea agreement in exchange for his guilty plea to second-degree murder.¹³

A first-degree murder conviction in Tennessee would have carried a mandatory life sentence, the outcome his co-defendant Justin Johnson received after going to trial. The second-degree plea capped Smith’s exposure at a fixed term.

Why He Got the Deal: Cooperation

Smith became the state’s key witness. He admitted on the stand to shooting Young Dolph outside Makeda’s Homemade Butter Cookies on November 17, 2021, and testified that he and Justin Johnson had carried out the killing as a “planned gang-related hit” and were “looking to be paid” for it.¹⁴

He also testified against Hernandez Govan, the alleged organizer, telling jurors that Govan had informed the shooters Dolph would be in Memphis for his Thanksgiving turkey giveaway and had supplied the guns used in the attack.⁵

Deputy District Attorney Paul Hagerman said Smith’s cooperation was “essential to the State’s case” and that Smith “told the truth in court despite fear of retribution and threats.”¹

How Much Time Smith Will Actually Serve

Smith was first arrested in Southaven, Mississippi, on December 9, 2021, on an auto-theft warrant tied to the stolen Mercedes-Benz used in the killing, and he has been in custody since.³⁶⁷

Because the sentence is to be served at 100 percent, Smith is not eligible for parole or any form of early release.²

What Prosecutors Said

Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy said the sentence “properly reflects the gravity of the offense while giving due consideration to the cooperation this defendant provided,” adding, “We hope this resolution can give Dolph’s family some sense of closure.”¹ Hagerman said the rapper’s family was kept informed throughout the process and was “pleased with the outcome,” noting that cooperation from a participant is often necessary to secure justice in complex cases.⁶

How Smith’s Deal Compares to the Other Defendants

Smith’s 20-year sentence looks very different from what his co-shooter received and roughly comparable only to the defendant acquitted at trial.

Justin Johnson, the second gunman, went to trial in September 2024 and was convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun. Judge Jennifer Mitchell sentenced him to life in prison for the murder, plus 35 years for conspiracy and 15 years for the gun charge, with the latter two running concurrently with each other but consecutively to the life sentence. The Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed his convictions on March 10, 2026.⁸⁹

Hernandez Govan, charged as the organizer of the hit, was acquitted on all counts by a Memphis jury on August 21, 2025, after roughly three hours of deliberation. His defense had attacked Smith’s credibility, calling him a “pathological liar” seeking a lighter sentence.¹⁰⁵

Jermarcus Johnson, Justin Johnson’s brother, pleaded guilty to three counts of accessory after the fact and received six years of probation with conditions including community service, drug testing, and job training. Prosecutors described his role as “very limited” and after the fact.¹¹

Anthony “Big Jook” Mims, the brother of rapper Yo Gotti and the person prosecutors alleged had placed a $100,000 bounty on Young Dolph, was never charged. He was shot and killed outside a Memphis restaurant on January 13, 2024, while attending a funeral repass; no arrests had been made as of early 2025.⁵¹²¹³

With Smith’s sentencing, criminal proceedings against every defendant charged in the murder of Young Dolph are now closed.¹

1
Shelby County District Attorney General. Final Defendant in Young Dolph Murder Case Sentenced After Pleading Guilty to Second-Degree Murder
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Action News 5. Last Remaining Defendant in Young Dolph Case Pleads Guilty
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Good Morning America. Young Dolph Murder Suspects in Police Custody After Manhunt
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KAIT8. Young Dolph Murder Suspect to Appear in Court
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Court TV. TN v. Hernandez Govan: Young Dolph Murder Trial
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WREG. Cornelius Smith Faces Court Date in Young Dolph Case
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XXL Magazine. Young Dolph Killer Cornelius Smith Gets 20 Years in Prison in Plea Deal
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Action News 5. Young Dolph Killer Sentenced to 35 More Years in Prison
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Tennessee Courts. State of Tennessee v. Justin Johnson, No. W2025-00127-CCA-R3-CD
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Fox 13 Memphis. Hernandez Govan Found Not Guilty on All Charges Related to Young Dolph’s Murder
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KAIT8. Man Sentenced to Probation for Role in Young Dolph’s Murder
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Fox 13 Memphis. Yo Gotti’s Brother Big Jook Killed in Shooting Outside Memphis Restaurant
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Yahoo News. Big Jook Killed in Memphis