Man sentenced to life in Young Dolph killing gets 35 more years in prison

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Man sentenced to life in Young Dolph killing gets 35 more years in prison

2024-11-02 02:17 Last Updated At：02:20

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — A Tennessee man sentenced to life in prison in the daytime ambush killing of rapper Young Dolph received an additional 35 years behind bars Friday.

Justin Johnson was convicted of first-degree murder on Sept. 26 and sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole the same day by Shelby County Judge Jennifer Mitchell. On Friday, she sentenced Johnson for his two other convictions from the trial: conspiracy to commit murder and being a felon in possession of a gun.

Young Dolph, whose real name was Adolph Thornton Jr., was fatally shot in November 2021 at a Memphis bakery. Known for his works of charity in the city where he grew up, the 36-year-old rapper and independent music label owner was in Memphis to hand out Thanksgiving turkeys to families when his visit to his favorite cookie shop turned into an event that shocked the entertainment world.

Prosecutor Paul Hagerman noted during the sentencing hearing that Johnson, a 26-year-old aspiring rapper, had three aggravated assault convictions before the shooting and he had “no hesitation” to commit the murder-for-hire in a public place. Hagerman called it a “stone-cold execution” motivated by money and fame.

In a statement read in court, the rapper's sister said the family feels “anger, anxiety and grief” over the death of Young Dolph, who “created a legacy that will endure long after this tragedy.”

“In a world full of envy, jealousy and arrogance, many fail to realize the impact of their actions until it's too late,” the statement said.

Johnson's lawyer, Luke Evans, said Johnson was manipulated by others to shoot Young Dolph. Evans has requested a new trial for Johnson, arguing that the evidence presented during the trial was not sufficient for a conviction. Evans said Johnson would not be eligible for parole for another 50 years under the murder conviction alone.

During the trial, co-defendant Cornelius Smith testified that rapper Yo Gotti’s brother, Anthony “Big Jook” Mims, had put out a $100,000 hit on Young Dolph as well as bounties on all the artists at Young Dolph’s record label, Paper Route Empire. Smith said he and Johnson were “looking for somebody” and “didn’t know who we were going to catch.”

They knew that Young Dolph and some of his artists were participating in the turkey giveaway, so they were heading in that direction when they saw Young Dolph’s car. They followed him to the cookie shop and opened fire in broad daylight, Smith said. Young Dolph was hit 22 times and died at the scene.

Hagerman told trial jurors that 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. Young Dolph later wrote diss tracks directed at the label, its artists and its “number two person,” Big Jook. Big Jook was shot and killed outside a restaurant earlier this year.

In addition to Smith’s testimony, prosecutors presented a mountain of circumstantial evidence, including from surveillance cameras and Johnson’s own cellphone.

Smith is also charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder and has pleaded not guilty. A trial date has not been set for him.

Evans, the defense attorney, said in the trial's closing arguments that Smith was lying and would say anything to try to save himself. Evans also noted that Smith’s fingerprints were found in the getaway car but Johnson’s were not. And he said there was “no proof that Justin Johnson got a penny,” while Smith testified he received $800 before he was arrested and his defense attorney later received another $50,000.

Hagerman countered that video and cellphone evidence corroborated Smith’s story. They included calls between Smith and Johnson shortly before the killing and a call between Johnson and Big Jook immediately after.

Jermarcus Johnson, who pleaded guilty in June 2023 to three counts of serving as an accessory after the killing, acknowledged helping his half-brother and Smith communicate by cellphone while they were on the run from authorities. He has not been sentenced.

Hernandez Govan, whom Smith identified as a go-between with Big Jook, has pleaded not guilty to organizing the killing. A trial date for Govan has been set for March 10.

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.

Daylight saving time ends this weekend. This is how to prepare for the potential health effects

2024-11-02 02:08 Last Updated At：02:10

The good news: You will get a glorious extra hour of sleep. The bad: It'll be dark as a pocket by late afternoon for the next few months in the U.S.

Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. local time Sunday, Nov. 3, which means you should set your clock back an hour before you go to bed. Standard time will last until March 9 when we will again “spring forward” with the return of daylight saving time.

That spring time change can be tougher on your body. Darker mornings and lighter evenings can knock your internal body clock out of whack, making it harder to fall asleep on time for weeks or longer. Studies have even found an uptick in heart attacks and strokes right after the March time change.

“Fall back” should be easier. But it still may take a while to adjust your sleep habits, not to mention the downsides of leaving work in the dark or trying exercise while there's still enough light. Some people with seasonal affective disorder, a type of depression usually linked to the shorter days and less sunlight of fall and winter, may struggle, too.

Some health groups, including the American Medical Association and American Academy of Sleep Medicine, have said it’s time to do away with time switches and that sticking with standard time aligns better with the sun — and human biology.

Most countries do not observe daylight saving time. For those that do — mostly in Europe and North America — the date that clocks are changed varies.

Two states — Arizona and Hawaii — don’t change and stay on standard time.

Here's what to know about the twice yearly ritual.

The brain has a master clock that is set by exposure to sunlight and darkness. This circadian rhythm is a roughly 24-hour cycle that determines when we become sleepy and when we’re more alert. The patterns change with age, one reason that early-to-rise youngsters evolve into hard-to-wake teens.

Morning light resets the rhythm. By evening, levels of a hormone called melatonin begin to surge, triggering drowsiness. Too much light in the evening — that extra hour from daylight saving time — delays that surge and the cycle gets out of sync.

And that circadian clock affects more than sleep, also influencing things like heart rate, blood pressure, stress hormones and metabolism.

Even an hour change on the clock can throw off sleep schedules — because even though the clocks change, work and school start times stay the same.

That's a problem because so many people are already sleep deprived. About 1 in 3 U.S. adults sleep less than the recommended seven-plus hours nightly, and more than half of U.S. teens don’t get the recommended eight-plus hours on weeknights.

Sleep deprivation is linked to heart disease, cognitive decline, obesity and numerous other problems.

Some people try to prepare for a time change jolt by changing their bed times little by little in the days before the change. There are ways to ease the adjustment, including getting more sunshine to help reset your circadian rhythm for healthful sleep.

Lawmakers occasionally propose getting rid of the time change altogether. The most prominent recent attempt, a now-stalled bipartisan bill named the Sunshine Protection Act, proposes making daylight saving time permanent. Health experts say the lawmakers have it backward — standard time should be made permanent.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.