Man Accused of Orchestrating Young Dolph Murder Found Not Guilty

August 25, 2025 4

The man accused of orchestrating the murder of Young Dolph has been acquitted. On Thursday, Hernandez Govan was found not guilty of both first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Dolph was murdered at a Memphis bakery in November 2021.

Prosecutors alleged that Govan masterminded the killing and hired the two people who ambushed the rapper. FOX 10 reports that the 12-person jury — which was composed of five men and seven women — deliberated for about an hour on Wednesday night, before resuming Thursday morning. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty.

“If this is a microcosm of what’s going on, we should all be worried,” said Govan’s attorney. “We need to figure out why so many people are in jail and why they are being kept without bond.”

Cornelius Smith Jr., previously admitted that he and a man named Justin Johnson were the shooters who ambushed Young Dolph. Johnson was convicted of first-degree murder in 2024. Smith testified that Govan hired him for the murder and that Govan told him and Johnson when Dolph would be in Memphis.

Govan’s attorney portrayed Smith as an unreliable witness. Smith is facing charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. He has pleaded not guilty to both charges. No trial date has been set.