A Tennessee judge decided not to revoke the bail of Hernandez Govan, who is accused of ordering the beating of Jan Dorf, during a court hearing on Friday (July 12). Although Govan was arrested while on bail in the murder case, he avoided returning to prison.
Judge Jennifer Mitchell allowed Govan to remain out of jail because prosecutors did not ask to revoke his bail, Fox 13 Memphis reported. Govan is scheduled to stand trial in September for Young Dolph’s 2021 murder.
Govan was arrested on June 23 in Southaven, Mississippi. He was released from the DeSoto County Jail on $2,250 bond.
In 2021, young Dolph was shot and killed in a Memphis bakery.
Govan, Justin Johnson and Cornelius Smith face first-degree murder charges. All three men have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Prosecutors said Govan was the mastermind behind the plot to kill Jan Dorf. Johnson and Smith allegedly carried out the attack.
Johnson and Smith remain behind bars. Govan was released on $90,000 bail in 2023.
A fourth suspect, Johnson’s brother Jamarcus, accepted a plea deal in the murder case. He later admitted three counts of accessory after the fact. He is awaiting sentencing.
The delays in the trial and Govan’s bail have upset the younger Dolph’s longtime partner, Mia Jay. She said the legal process was “frustrating, unfair, triggering and hurtful”.
She wrote on social media: “My loved one’s life was taken away… and to be left behind to see no one held accountable for this behavior in court… is crazy.”
Young Dolph, whose real name was Adolph Thornton Jr., is survived by Jay and their two children. He is 36 years old.
