Young Dolph murder suspect Justin Johnson, also known as aspiring Memphis rapper Straight Drop, was reportedly attacked in jail on Friday (March 18). According toTMZ, Johnson’s attorney Juni Ganguli said he was punched by a fellow inmate at Tennessee’s Shelby County Jail while in the middle of a phone call.
Johnson, who’s in custody on a slew of charges including first-degree murder, was approached by the inmate and socked in the face, although he didn’t suffer any serious injury. While there was no motive reported, it’s likely in retaliation for Dolph’s November 2021 murder. Authorities at Shelby County Jail confirmed the incident took place and said an investigation is underway.
The 23-year-old Johnson and Cornelius Smith were apprehended by law enforcement in January. Johnson was captured by U.S. Marshals in Indiana, while Smith was also arrested and booked into Shelby County Jail, charged with first-degree murder. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Marshals and the Memphis Police Department had been on a nationwide manhunt for Johnson for less than a week.
A third suspect, 27-year-old Shundale Barnett, was arrested just days later. During a press conference, U.S Marshal Tyreece Miller revealed Barnett has been charged with being an after-the-fact accessory to first-degree murder.
AD LOADING...
“It’s a big deal,” Miller said at thet ime. “We’re proud of the work that everybody you see standing up here has done and even some that you don’t see. There are a lot of unseen heroes that participated in the case … I think we are the best of the best. We get results and today’s announcement demonstrates that.”
Young Dolph's Suspected Killer Speaks: 'I'll Be Back Sooner Than You Can Blink'
Miller went on to say after law enforcement agencies offered a $15,000 reward for any information leading to an arrest, they received over 500 tips, taking U.S. Marshals to Indianapolis, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta and Hampton, Virginia.
Young Dolph was fatally shot last November as he was picking up baked goods from Makeda’s Homemake Cookies in his hometown of Memphis. He was just 36.
