In November 2021, the rapper Young Dolph returned to his hometown of Memphis to hand out turkeys for Thanksgiving.
While there, he made a daytime trip to a local cookie shop, and it ended up being the last thing he ever did.
The rapper was gunned down outside the Memphis bakery, and ever since, authorities have been trying to unravel the hit against him and hold those who perpetrated it accountable.
According to the Associated Press, on Aug. 20, the man accused of orchestrating the hit against Young Dolph was awaiting a verdict in Memphis for the second time.
Hernandez Govan, 45, is accused of directing the shooters but not being the triggerman himself, the AP reported.
WREG-TV referred to Govan as the “alleged mastermind” of the murder.
Prosecutors say Young Dolph was murdered because another rapper named Anthony “Big Jook” Mims, the brother of Yo Gotti, was upset that the rapper made “diss tracks” against him.
Prosecutors allege that Big Jook “put out a $100,000 hit on Young Dolph,” that was carried out. Big Jook was later shot to death. However, police admitted they did not speak with Big Jook before he died, according to Action News 5.
Angela Arnold, the girlfriend of accused triggerman Cornelius Smith, testified that Govan was in contact with Big Jook, according to WREG.
“He said he would talk to Govan, send a message through him, and he would get a message to Jook, and Jook would talk to Govan and tell them a message,” she testified of Smith.
According to Fox13 Memphis, Govan’s lawyers maintain that he is the “fall guy” or the iconic rapper’s death and had nothing to do with it.
Cell phone data is also a centerpiece of the case. The case went to the jury on Aug. 20 with Govan opting not to take the stand.
