2 men accused in Young Dolph appeared in criminal court

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Two men accused of killing rapper Young Dolph appeared in court Friday morning.

Justin Johnson and Cornelius Smith went before Judge Lee Coffee in Criminal Court.

Smith entered the courtroom with his head hanging low.

Johnson was scheduled for a report date.

Smith was scheduled for a bond hearing.

PHOTOS: Fans honor Memphis rapper Young Dolph

The court hearing was brief.

Their attorneys have said they have a lot of discovery to comb through in the case.

Young Dolph, whose real name was Adolph Thornton Jr., was gunned down last November at Makeda’s Homemade Butter Cookies on Airways Boulevard.

An autopsy report he suffered 22 gunshot wounds during the shooting.

Smith and Johnson were indicted for the murder in January.

Both are charged with first-degree murder and other crimes. Smith was also charged with attempted murder for allegedly shooting at Young Dolph’s brother, who was with him inside Makeda’s Cookies at the time of the shooting.

Johnson was captured in Indiana on Jan. 11.

Smith was arrested on Dec. 9 in Southaven on an auto-theft warrant involving the white Mercedes Benz vehicle used in Young Dolph’s murder, according to the office of Shelby County District Attorney Weirich.

Smith’s bond hearing was reset for Sep. 19.

Johnson’s report date was reset for Aug. 2.

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