Jury acquits Memphis man charged with organizing the daytime ambush killing of rapper Young Dolph

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — A jury found a man not guilty Thursday of organizing the daytime ambush killing of rapper Young Dolph at a Memphis bakery in November 2021.

A Memphis jury deliberated about three hours before finding Hernandez Govan, 45, not guilty of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.

Govan hugged his lawyer and thanked Shelby County Judge Jennifer Mitchell after she told him he was free to go.

Govan was not accused of shooting Young Dolph, but prosecutors claimed he directed the two people who did. The jury was not convinced, however, despite a man’s testimony that Govan hired him to “do the hits” and was going to take $10,000 as his cut.

Govan’s lawyer questioned the quality of the police investigation and the validity of cellphone communications between Govan and the men who shot Young Dolph, arguing that nothing directly incriminated Govan or tied him to the killings.

“Thankfully the jurors listened, they saw the holes in the case,” said Manny Arora, Govan's lawyer.

Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy said he was disappointed with the verdict.

“We know this has been an incredibly difficult process for Young Dolph’s family,” Mulroy said in a statement.

Young Dolph, whose legal name is Adolph Thornton Jr., was a rapper, independent label owner and producer who grew up in Memphis and was admired in the city for his charitable works. The 36-year-old was in his hometown to hand out Thanksgiving turkeys to families when his visit to his favorite cookie shop turned into an attack that shocked Memphis and the entertainment world.

Authorities said two men exited a white Mercedes Benz and began shooting at the rapper at the bakery. He died after being shot about 20 times, according to a medical examiner’s report.

After the killing, the bakery, Makeda’s Homemade Cookies, turned into a memorial to Young Dolph. He also was honored at a Memphis Grizzlies game and the city named a street after him. Murals of the rapper were painted around the city.

Testifying against Govan was Cornelius Smith Jr., who has admitted to being one of the two shooters who ambushed Young Dolph. Smith previously was the main witness against Justin Johnson, who was convicted of first-degree murder in 2024 after Smith named him as the second shooter.

Prosecutors portrayed the killing as part an effort by Anthony “Big Jook” Mims to get revenge on Young Dolph for diss tracks aimed at Big Jook and the record label he helped run for his brother, rapper Yo Gotti. Smith has testified that Big Jook put out a $100,000 hit on Young Dolph as well as smaller bounties on all the artists at Young Dolph’s record label, Paper Route Empire.

At the earlier trial of Justin Johnson, a prosecutor told jurors Cocaine Muzik Group (now known as Collective Music Group), a rival record label founded by Yo Gotti, wanted Young Dolph to work for them, but he turned them down.

Big Jook was shot and killed outside a restaurant in January 2024. No arrests have been made in his death and he was never charged in Young Dolph's killing.

Smith testified that “I didn’t know anything about Paper Route having no hits,” before Govan told him about them. He said Govan hired him to “do the hits,” and was going to take $10,000 as his cut. Govan was also the person who told him and Johnson that Young Dolph would be in Memphis for the Thanksgiving turkey giveaway, so “that’s our opportunity,” Smith said.

Prosecutors introduced as evidence dozens of cellphone communications between Johnson, Smith, Govan and Big Jook ahead of the shooting.

Meanwhile, Govan’s defense attorney, Manny Arora, painted Smith as an unreliable witness and a “pathological liar” who would say anything to try to get a lighter sentence.

Arora pointed to previous testimony where Smith recalled a chance encounter with Big Jook. At the time, Smith implied Big Jook was the person who hired him. After Smith was arrested, his attorney called Big Jook’s attorney and received somewhere between $38,000 and $50,000 in cash. Smith said on Monday that he did not know who had supplied the money.

Smith also testified he previously heard that Govan might be working with the FBI. Arora asked why Smith would take a job from Govan if that were the case. Smith said Govan was “innocent until proven guilty.”

“None of you would buy a pack of gum based on the word of Cornelius Smith,” Arora told the jury during closing arguments.

Smith is charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder. He has pleaded not guilty and does not yet have a trial date.

Arora also questioned why Big Jook was not investigated more closely and cast doubts on the cellphone communications used as evidence at trial. He called a police investigator a liar during closing arguments and said that just because prosecutors have communications involving Govan, it “doesn't mean you're in a conspiracy to kill someone.”

Johnson was sentenced last September to life in prison with the possibility of parole. He was later sentenced for two other convictions from the trial: conspiracy to commit murder and possessing a gun as a felon.

Young Dolph began his career by releasing numerous mixtapes. His studio albums include his 2016 debut, “King of Memphis.” He also collaborated on other mixtapes and albums with fellow rappers Key Glock, Megan Thee Stallion, T.I., Gucci Mane, 2 Chainz and others. Young Dolph had three albums reach the top 10 on the Billboard 200, with 2020′s “Rich Slave” peaking at No. 4.

Hernandez Govan, who was accused of orchestrating the killing of rapper Young Dolph, speaks during a news conference after being acquitted on all charges in his trial, Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Hernandez Govan, second from left, who was accused of orchestrating the killing of rapper Young Dolph, speaks during a news conference after being acquitted on all charges in his trial, Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Hernandez Govan, accused of orchestrating the killing of rapper Young Dolph, hugs a member of his defense team in the courtroom after being acquitted on all charges Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025 in Memphis, Tenn. (Chris Day/Commercial Appeal/USA Today Network via Pool)

Hernandez Govan, accused of orchestrating the killing of rapper Young Dolph, reacts in the courtroom after being acquitted on all charges Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025 in Memphis, Tenn. (Chris Day/Commercial Appeal/USA Today Network via Pool)

Hernandez Govan, accused of orchestrating the killing of rapper Young Dolph, takes the stand to state that he will not testify on his own behalf during his trial in Memphis, Tenn., Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. (Chris Day/Commercial Appeal/USA Today Network via Pool)

FILE - Young Dolph performs at The Parking Lot Concert in Atlanta on Aug. 23, 2020. (Photo by Paul R. Giunta/Invision/AP, File)

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Vote counting was underway Friday in Uganda’s tense presidential election, which was held a day earlier amid an internet shutdown, voting delays and complaints by an opposition leader who said some of his polling agents had been detained by the authorities.

Opposition leader Bobi Wine said Thursday he was unable to leave his house and that his polling agents in rural areas were abducted before voting started, undermining his efforts to prevent electoral offenses such as ballot stuffing.

Wine is hoping to end President Yoweri Museveni's four-decade rule in an election during which the military was deployed and heavy security was posted outside his house near Kampala, the Ugandan capital, after the vote.

The musician-turned-politician wrote on X on Thursday that a senior party official in charge of the western region had been arrested, adding there was “massive ballot stuffing everywhere.”

Rural Uganda, especially the western part of the country, is a ruling-party stronghold, and the opposition would be disadvantaged by not having polling agents present during vote counting.

To try to improve his chances of winning, Wine had urged his supporters to “protect the vote” by having witnesses document alleged offenses at polling stations, in addition to deploying official polling agents.

Wine faced similar setbacks when he first ran for president five years ago. Museveni took 58% of the vote, while Wine got 35%, according to official results. Wine said at the time that the election had been rigged in favor of Museveni, who has spoken disparagingly of his rival.

Museveni, after voting on Thursday, said the opposition had infiltrated the 2021 election and defended the use of biometric machines as a way of securing the vote in this election.

Museveni has served the third-longest tenure of any African leader and is seeking to extend his rule into a fifth decade. The aging president’s authority has become increasingly dependent on the military, which is led by his son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

Uganda has not witnessed a peaceful transfer of presidential power since independence from British colonial rule six decades ago.

Voters line up to cast their ballots at a polling station, during the presidential election, in the capital, Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

Election officials count ballots after the polls closed for the presidential election at a polling station in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

An election official holds up unmarked ballots during the vote count after polls closed for the presidential election, at a polling center in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

A political representative speaks as he works to observe and verify the counting of ballots after polls closed in the presidential election at a polling station in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

A supporter of leading opposition candidate Bobi Wine cheers while watching election officials count ballots, after polls closed at a polling station in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)