Young Dolph‘s accused killer, Justin Johnson, has been granted his request to pool jurors from areas outside Memphis.
According to a report by The Associated Press published on Monday (February 12), Judge Jennifer J. Mitchell decided in favor of the motion due to the intense media coverage surrounding the murder in the rapper’s hometown. A jury will now be brought to the city from outside Shelby County for the trial, which is scheduled to commence on June 3.
In his original filing earlier this month, the defendant’s lawyer Luke Evans argued that “the victim in the case is beloved here,” while claiming that Dolph’s fans have allegedly threatened Johnson and his co-defendant, Cornelius Smith, with “lynching” and being killed in prison.
The attorney feels that these calls for violence are rooted in “seeking vengeance, not justice.”
Prosecutor Paul Hagerman suggested sending questionnaires to a potential jury pool of about 150 to 200 people to “gauge the effect of news coverage and social media commentary,” but Judge Mitchell turned down the proposal as it could delay the trial, especially since it was already pushed back from its previously scheduled start date of March 11.
hiphopdx.com
According to a report by The Associated Press published on Monday (February 12), Judge Jennifer J. Mitchell decided in favor of the motion due to the intense media coverage surrounding the murder in the rapper’s hometown. A jury will now be brought to the city from outside Shelby County for the trial, which is scheduled to commence on June 3.
In his original filing earlier this month, the defendant’s lawyer Luke Evans argued that “the victim in the case is beloved here,” while claiming that Dolph’s fans have allegedly threatened Johnson and his co-defendant, Cornelius Smith, with “lynching” and being killed in prison.
The attorney feels that these calls for violence are rooted in “seeking vengeance, not justice.”
Prosecutor Paul Hagerman suggested sending questionnaires to a potential jury pool of about 150 to 200 people to “gauge the effect of news coverage and social media commentary,” but Judge Mitchell turned down the proposal as it could delay the trial, especially since it was already pushed back from its previously scheduled start date of March 11.
Young Dolph Murder Trial: Judge Grants Defense's Request To Pull Jury From Outside Memphis
Young Dolph's murder trial will now pick jurors from areas beyond the rapper's hometown of Memphis following a request from his accused killer.
hiphopdx.com
