Young Dolph‘s murder case briefly (and, it turns out, mistakenly) had another suspect drawn in, charged with accessory after the fact and attempted first-degree murder — but that has now been corrected.
On Monday (January 27) Shundale Barnett was arrested and charged with those two crimes, as well as theft of property, in connection with Dolph’s November 2021 killing. Barnett is the cousin of Justin Johnson, who was found guilty of the killing last year and subsequently sentenced to life in prison.
AD LOADING...
The case against Barnett was dropped on Tuesday. The Shelby County District Attorney’s office issued a statement breaking down what happened.
“During the investigation of Justin Johnson, Shundale Barnett was found with [Justin] Johnson at the time of his arrest in Indiana,” the statement explained. “Based on this and other facts, a task force officer with the U.S. Marshals determined there was probable cause to charge Barnett with Accessory After the Fact, and an arrest warrant was issued as part of standard procedure.
AD LOADING...
“As the investigation progressed, the DA’s Office determined that Barnett was not involved in the case and chose not to pursue charges, indicating the charge would be withdrawn. However, a delay in recalling the warrant left it active in the system. This clerical issue has now been resolved, and the charges against Barnett have been officially dismissed.”
One more suspect in the case, alleged mastermind Hernandez Govan, is set to go on trial this summer.
AD LOADING...
Last fall, Justin Johnson sought a new trial — a move that got an emotional reaction from Dolph’s fiancée.
On Halloween, Mia Jaye took to Instagram through her Black Men Deserve To Grow Old streetwear brand to react to Johnson’s motion.
Alongside a screenshot of a news headline, Jaye wrote: “It’s infuriating to see the person who took our loved one’s life now seeking a new trial over ‘insufficient evidence.’ Their arrogance feels like a cruel joke to me and my loved ones.”
She added: “We won’t let this deter us; we will keep fighting for justice and honor the memory of Adolph [heart emoji].”
AD LOADING...
It was reported that Johnson was seeking a new trial because of a dispute over evidence that was used to convict him.
The motion was denied earlier this month.
