Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect the charges being dismissed and with comment from the district attorney's office. A fifth man who was arrested and charged in connection to the fatal shooting of Memphis rapper Young Dolph Monday had all of his charges dismissed Tuesday afternoon. Shundale Barnett, 30, was booked into custody Monday, Shelby County court records show. Tuesday, Barnett's court records all showed a "nolle prosequi" tag on them.
The Latin term translates almost directly to "not wish to prosecute," and is used to describe prosecutors dropping a case. The primary offense that was charged, according to a police affidavit attached to the case docket, was accessory after the fact. 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.
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. The Shelby County District Attorney's Office did not respond to a request for comment on the dismissal at the time of publication. Police say that Barnett rented a gray Dodge Ram truck in late December , about a month after Young Dolph was killed.
Barnett is Justin Johnson's cousin, according to the affidavit. The affidavit goes on to allege that when police attempted to find Johnson at a Hickory Hill address, the person there said Johnson had come to the house in a gray Dodge Ram.
Barnett's arrest makes him the fifth person criminally tied to the fatal shooting. Johnson was tried in September and found guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Johnson was sentenced to life with an additional 35 years in prison.
