Hernandez Govan has broken his silence after a jury acquitted him of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the 2021 killing of rapper Young Dolph. Prosecutors had accused Govan of orchestrating the hit, but after three hours of deliberation, the jury returned a not guilty verdict.
Addressing those present in court after Shelby County Judge Jennifer Mitchell read the ruling, Govan said, according to WREG:
“Thank you to the jury for getting this right and getting my life back. I knew in my heart I was innocent. Without God, I don’t even think I would have made it this far. I’m just happy to be free.”
Speaking further outside the Memphis courthouse, he reflected on the outcome:
“It’s kind of hard to explain the feeling of getting your life back just from 12 people. I’m just blessed, and I’m just ready to see my son… It feels great. It just feels like I’ve been born again. I get a chance to restart my life and do some positive things,” he said.
When asked about his attorney’s statement that “if you’re Black and poor in Memphis, you’ve got a problem” and whether he planned to leave, Govan responded, “Of course.” He was represented by Manny Arora, who centered the defense on scrutinizing the police investigation and challenging the evidence presented against him.
Young Dolph, whose real name was Adolph Thornton Jr., was shot and killed at age 36 while visiting Makeda’s Homemade Butter Cookies in Memphis. An autopsy later revealed he was struck 22 times during the ambush.
Govan was not the only person charged in connection with the case. Authorities also arrested Justin Johnson and Cornelius Smith, alleging that they were the ones who carried out the fatal attack.
