IS THE PROSECUTION'S CASE AGAINST YOUNG DOLPH'S SHOOTER STRONG? THE PROSECUTION RESTS

The state rested its case Wednesday afternoon in the trial against Justin Johnson for his alleged involvement in the murder of Adolf Thornton Jr., more commonly known as Young Dolph.

Shelby County Deputy District Attorney Paul Hagerman rested his case after almost three days of questioning of former Memphis Police Department officers, family and friends of Thornton and, most notably, Cornelius Smith. Smith is one of the men accused of killing Young Dolph.

Johnson also briefly took the stand Wednesday afternoon but then declined to testify.

Smith is also facing a slew of charges related to Young Dolph's killing and took the stand during the first day of the trial.

The third day of the trial began with MPD Lt. Ma’Hajj Abdul-BaQee, who clarified an error from the previous day's testimony and evidence. The prosecution said the evidence presented during day two included time stamps that were inaccurate. Abdul-BaQee said that he attempted to pull the video surveillance from Crosstown Concourse on Nov. 24, 2021, but was unable to, but when he returned a few days later on Nov. 26 he was able to.

Abdul-BaQee told Johnson's attorney Luke Evans that he did not see the videos on the day of the murder.

The next witness was Michael Garner, who retired from MPD earlier in 2024, and was involved in the investigation into Dolph's death. Garner worked with the organized crime unit and specifically worked in digital forensics.

While on the stand, Garner went into detail on how phones can be roughly tracked through parts of a city by obtaining the call data records. Garner showed the phone records of Johnson and Smith on the day of Dolph's death and how their phones were located at cell towers near the site of the shooting on the day Young Dolph was killed.

Johnson's phone pinged off cell towers and showed his travel from his home at Crosstown Concourse to Makeda’s Homemade Butter Cookies and to a South Memphis apartment complex where the duo allegedly went to change their clothing and clean up after the shooting.

Right after the prosecution rested its case, Evans asked for an acquittal arguing that the state did not present sufficient evidence to tie Johnson to the case. The judge quickly denied the motion.