The streets of Memphis are buzzing after a jury found Hernandez Govan not guilty in the high-profile murder case of Young Dolph. Prosecutors claimed Govan was the mastermind behind the 2021 daylight ambush, but jurors weren’t convinced, clearing him on charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy.
The verdict came after just a few hours of deliberation, putting Govan back on the streets while the rap world is still demanding answers about who really ordered Dolph’s killing.
During the trial, prosecutors leaned heavily on testimony from Cornelius Smith Jr., one of the gunmen, who alleged that Govan set up the hit and was supposed to pocket $10K for his role. They tied the plot to long-standing Memphis rap beefs, even pointing at Anthony “Big Jook” Mims, Yo Gotti’s brother, who was allegedly putting up money to take Dolph out.
Govan’s lawyer, Manny Arora, wasn’t having it. He ripped apart Smith’s credibility, calling him a liar trying to save himself, and told the jury the case was full of holes. The strategy worked — the jury didn’t buy the state’s theory.
Two men — Smith and Justin Johnson — are already convicted in the case, with Johnson serving life. Big Jook was killed earlier this year and never faced charges. Still, the question lingers: who really wanted Dolph gone?
