S. Samuel
R&B singer Jennifer Hudson's estranged brother-in-law has been found guilty of murdering three family members, including her mother, nearly four years ago.
Although the slayings took place back in 2008, 31 year-old William Balfour was not convicted until Friday (May 11).
An Illinois jury on Friday found the estranged brother-in-law of Grammy- and Oscar-winning singer and actress Jennifer Hudson guilty of murdering three members of her family in 2008. William Balfour, 31, was found guilty of breaking into the Hudson family home and fatally shooting Hudson’s mother Darnell Donerson, 57, her brother Jason Hudson, 29, and her 7-year-old nephew Julian King. He faces the possibility of life in prison without parole. (Reuters)
Hudson was also in attendance when Balfour’s fate was read.
Hudson, who expressed her undisguised disdain for William Balfour when she took the witness stand and who endured weeks of excruciating testimony about the October 2008 killings, was visibly overcome with emotion as the verdict was read. Hudson’s eyes filled with tears and she shook her head and bit her lip. Afterward, she looked over at her sister, Julia Hudson, and smiled. (MSNBC)
Looking beyond the guilty verdict, Balfour’s defense will likely appeal the ruling.
Public defender Amy Thompson said Friday there was “questionable use of evidence” by the Chicago Police Department. And she says the defense didn’t have adequate time to prepare their case. (Chicago Tribune)
The Hudson family murders all took place in October 2008.
Balfour was accused of shooting Hudson’s mother, Darnell Donerson, 57, in the living room of the Hudson family home on Chicago’s South Side on Oct. 24, 2008, then shooting her brother, Jason Hudson, 29, in the head as he lay in bed. Balfour then allegedly abducted Julia Hudson’s son, Julian King, and shot him in a sport utility vehicle that was found abandoned after a three-day search. (Los Angeles Times)
