Jennifer Hudson's 7 yo Nephew Julian King Missing (Body Found)

[Sam]

Body Found

Posted Oct 27th 2008 7:04AM by TMZ Staff

Chicago cops have found the body of a child and are investigating whether it's the body of Jennifer Hudson's nephew, Julian King. The medical examiner has not yet made an ID, but we are now told the body is that of a 7-year-old African American boy, the same age and race as Julian (Scroll down for live video of crime scene).


The body was found inside a 1994 white Chevy Suburban. It is the same SUV owned by Jason Hudson, the murdered brother of Jennifer. Before his arrest, cops were looking for William Balfour, the suspect and estranged husband of Jennifer's sister. The license plate of the Suburban matches Jason's SUV.

The SUV was found a few miles from the area where cops arrested Balfour.

The SUV is now being towed from the scene. Unclear if the body is still at the scene. No ID so far.

Neighbors say the vehicle has been parked there since Saturday. Balfour was arrested Friday night.


Story developing

http://www.tmz.com/2008/10/27/body-found-chat/  Edited to add child's name, age & body found to subject title

[nonesuche]

This little boy was supposed to be so gentle and kind, I do not know how someone could have killed this family in cold blood in this way. God bless all of their souls.

I pray that Jennifer can find a way to endure all of this and I am concerned this Balfour man made threats against the family yet her sister didn't move to report him? Hopefully there will be some insight there soon.

[MuffyBee]

Police: Child's body found in SUV is Hudson's nephew
By SOPHIA TAREEN
Associated Press
Oct. 27, 2008, 7:15PM
CHICAGO — Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson's 7-year-old nephew was found dead in the back of an SUV on Monday, ending a frantic search that began after the shooting deaths of her mother and brother three days earlier.

The singer and actress was among seven family members and close friends who cried and held hands as they identified Julian King's body from a live image on a television screen at the Cook County Medical Examiner's office Monday afternoon.

Chicago police spokeswoman Monique Bond said the boy, like his grandmother and uncle, had been shot. The medical examiner's office planned a Tuesday autopsy.

Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis said a motive remained unclear Monday but added, "It wasn't a case of a stranger-type homicide."

Police have characterized the slayings as "domestic related" and authorities have been questioning Julian's stepfather, who has been estranged from the boy's mother and is being held on a parole violation. No one has been charged in the slayings.

Julian's body was found shortly after 7 a.m. in the rear seat of the SUV, which matched the one mentioned in an Amber Alert for the boy and was parked on the street in a neighborhood of brownstone homes and apartment buildings.

The vehicle was about 10 miles from the house where the other victims were found, which was where Julian lived and where Hudson grew up.

Hudson had offered $100,000 Sunday for information leading to the safe return of her nephew, the son of her sister, Julia Hudson. Hudson's publicist did not immediately return calls and e-mail messages Monday.

"Miss Hudson wanted to request privacy," Cook County spokesman Sean Howard said after the family left the medical examiner's office. "This is a very trying time for her and her family."

Hudson's aunt, Dorothy Hudson, said the Chicago funeral home she owns with her husband will handle arrangements for the family, but details were pending.

"We're just sad. We're going through this stage where we're just sad and in shock," Dorothy Hudson said.

The Amber Alert had listed William Balfour, the estranged husband of Julia Hudson, as a suspect in a "double homicide investigation." He is not the boy's father and has not been charged in the slayings.

Weis said Monday that Balfour "remains a person of interest."

The chief said he was confident that with two crime scenes, investigators would find important clues.

Balfour, 27, was taken into custody for questioning Friday after the bodies of Hudson's 57-year-old mother, Darnell Donerson, and 29-year-old brother, Jason Hudson, were found.

On Sunday, Balfour was transferred to the Illinois Department of Corrections, where a spokeswoman declined Monday to discuss his parole violation.

Corrections records show Balfour spent nearly seven years in prison for attempted murder, vehicular hijacking and possessing a stolen vehicle. He was expected to remain in state custody until the Illinois Prisoner Review Board looked at his case.

Balfour's mother, Michele Balfour, has said Hudson's mother kicked Balfour out of the family home last winter. She denied her son had anything to do with the killings.

It was unclear whether Balfour had an attorney.

Lynette Louden, 47, said she called police about the SUV across the street from her home on Chicago's West Side after her family's Chihuahua started barking at it early Monday. Some neighbors said they hadn't seen the vehicle before Monday, but Louden said it had been there since at least Saturday.

"I only hoped the body wasn't in there," she said. "When they said that it was, I cried."

Weis said police were waiting for the autopsy to determine how long the boy had been dead, but estimated the vehicle was parked on the street "a couple of days."

When asked how officers could have missed the SUV during their massive search, Weis noted that Chicago is a big city and that the vehicle was "several miles away from the first crime scene."

Steve Peterson, head of the department's Bureau of Investigative Services, said the search for the boy had been centered farther east based on information they had about where Balfour's current girlfriend lives.

Hudson, 27, who won an Academy Award for best supporting actress in 2007 for her role in "Dreamgirls," returned to Chicago to be with her family during the weekend. She also had identified the bodies of her mother and brother.

Neighbors and well-wishers brought stuffed animals and other items to a makeshift memorial outside Donerson's two-story white clapboard home as news of Monday's discovery spread.

At a candlelight vigil on Monday night, hundreds of people gathered outside the Englewood home. They sang, held hands and cried in the cold as they contributed to an expanding memorial of stuffed animals, balloons and flowers.

"I wanted to come out and support the community in their endeavor and to let Jennifer Hudson know how much we care and we're praying for her," said Doris Jones, who lives in the neighborhood. "It pains all of us to know three lives are gone and we don't know why."
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6079859.html

[MuffyBee]

Jennifer Hudson family tragedy: Vigil outside Hudson's Chicago house
Chicago Tribune team report
    6:49 PM CDT, October 27, 2008
About 100 people had assembled this evening for a candlelight vigil outside the Englewood neighborhood family home of Academy Award-winning singer and actress Jennifer Hudson, where her mother and brother were found slain Friday.

The group included both friends and strangers that came to support the family with song and prayer.

Also killed was Hudson's mother, Darnell Donerson, and her brother, Jason Hudson. Police were questioning the estranged husband of Hudson's sister Julia, the mother of Julian King.

The memorial outside the home in the 7000 block of South Yale Avenue had grown substantially Monday with photos of the victims, stuffed animals, balloons and posters for people to sign.
Around 6 p.m., the crowd sang Jennifer Hudson's song "Spotlight."

News of the death of the actress' 7-year-old nephew Julian King was on everyone's mind.

Latrice Wells, 31, from the neighborhood, was at the vigil and said she knew the family. Wells recalled seeing Julian riding a four-wheeler down the block. "He loved being outside playing and talking to everyone. He was a joyful little boy," she said.

Wells found out about Julian's death on television and said she cried. She arrived at the memorial site with a stuffed animal. "I feel what they're going through," Wells said.

Some people who didn't know the Hudson family said they showed up to provide support. Shelia Smith, a nurse at nearby hospital, brought a yellow rose. "It really hit home because it's like losing one of your own," she said.

Hudson, who gained stardom after appearing on "American Idol" and then won an Academy Award for the movie "Dreamgirls," spent the days since the murders out of the public eye but high in public consciousness. And Monday, her family and supporters feared the worst -- that the body found early Monday on the West Side in a white Chevrolet Suburban was Julian.

The SUV belonged to Jason Hudson.

A parade of cars moved slowly past her family's home Monday morning, squeezing past news vans and a gathering crowd of reporters. Neighbors came by to drop items on the memorial or simply came to stand quietly and reflect on the violence that is too often a part of the neighborhood.

"Everybody is sick of going through stuff like this," said Artisha West, who did not know the Hudson family but used to live in the area. "We all have to stick together. All these young children are dying, and for what?"

Soon after Julian's body was found, neighbors and well-wishers from the Englewood neighborhood flocked to the Hudson home, dropping off teddy bears and flowers at an ever-growing memorial on the sidewalk.

No one knew each other or planned it ahead of time. All said they gathered in a common grief.

"To hear of this tragedy, the only thing I could do was come by and pray," Rev. Luther McDade, a pastor at the First Missionary Baptist Church on East 75th Street, said as more than a dozen people from the gathering crowd encircled the memorial in prayer.

"Everybody is touched by this," said Kevin Smith, who brought his 5-year-old son, little Kevin. "You just wish there was more that you could do. You can't do nothing but come by here and pay your respects and pray that your own family is taken care of."

Lynetta Clark rushed to the home moments after learning a third body had been found.

"It's just crazy," she said. "You need to hold onto your baby as tight as you can. I feel so sorry for the family."

In front of the Hudson's home, men in heavy jackets and hooded sweatshirts came to kiss the twin white crosses marked for Darnell Donerson and Jason Hudson.

"They were a very close family, I just can't believe this," said neighbor Jemia Laye, who said she was friends with Jennifer's sister Julia growing up. Laye dropped off a pink monkey stuffed animal onto the pile.

"She loved that boy," Laye said of Julia. Of the woman's son, Julian: "He was always happy and saying hi to everybody."

As pieces began coming together in the police investigation, the Hudson family also had spent the weekend praying, holding out hope until reports said a boy's body was found in Jason Hudson's SUV.

"All we can do is pray," said Rev. Krista Alston of Pleasant Gift Baptist Church, who is Hudson's cousin. "We're a family of deep faith."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/chi-jennifer-hudson-vigil,0,1431544.story

[Deenie]

Julian King

He was a Child.
He was In a Room, In his Grandma's house. He had no knowledge of what was going on within The Mind or the Person or Persons who came into his Grandma's House.

What he witnessed, or not - what he heard or saw ... I can't even fathom.

By the hands of another He was Taken and its Sick and Wrong
All he was " Was a Child"  He was 7 yrs old.
SEVEN years old.

I am praying for his Mother - her heart
I watched her on the News and I felt for her

He was just a baby

He was just a baby  - taken out for what reason ..for what ..why ???
I do not get it - I do not get it - HOW anyone can or could Hurt a Child !

I say let Julian's Mom - Go rounds with Casey - Let's See who Wins.

OMG he was just a baby

I am so sad by this  - Its enough that what happened happened  within the home and then for this little boy to lose his life ........ I have no words






 

[Deenie]

just an ******* His Mother's Myspace

 http://www.myspace.com/jalialimon 

Old Photos on her page are of the same Man held as Suspect -as far as I can see its the same Man ( younger ) Julians Step Dad ...

Sometimes Life is Measured by the Company We Keep - and that's not restricted to Boyfriends

 

 

[MuffyBee]

Oct 30, 7:22 PM EDT

Police official: Hudson nephew likely died in SUV

By DON BABWIN
Associated Press Writer
 CHICAGO (AP) -- Detectives believe the 7-year-old nephew of Jennifer Hudson was probably shot in the sport-utility vehicle where his body was later found, a police official said Thursday.

Officials think Julian King was alive when he left the house where his uncle and grandmother were killed last week, said the official, who was not authorized to discuss the case publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The official would not elaborate on when detectives think the boy died.

Police spokeswoman Monique Bond said she could not comment about the official's statements.

The bodies of the singer and Oscar-winning actress' mother, 57-year-old Darnell Donerson, and brother, 29-year-old Jason Hudson, were found Oct. 24 inside their home on Chicago's South Side. Julian's body was discovered Monday in the SUV on the city's West Side. All three had been shot.

Nobody has been charged, but the estranged husband of Julian's mother remained in custody on a parole violation. Police have characterized 27-year-old William Balfour, a convicted felon, as a "person of interest," but the official said he was the only suspect in the slayings.

Balfour, who is Julian's stepfather, had refused to take a lie-detector test and has stopped cooperating with detectives, the official said Wednesday.

It was unclear whether Balfour had an attorney.

Police Superintendent Jody Weis said Thursday that a gun found a day earlier in a vacant lot around the corner from where the SUV had been parked was a .45-caliber weapon. It was sent to Illinois State Police for testing.

Weis said preliminary tests suggest the weapon used was a .45-caliber gun, but tests should determine whether the gun found in the lot was the one used. It will be compared with shell casings found at the Hudson home, he said.

Meanwhile, a funeral home announced Thursday that services for Hudson's mother, brother and nephew will be held Monday morning. The service at Apostolic Church of God on Chicago's South Side will be closed to the public.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CHICAGO_BODIES_HUDSON?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US

[MuffyBee]

Oct 31, 5:34 PM EDT

Police: Gun found in lot used in Hudson slayings


CHICAGO (AP) -- Police say a gun found earlier this week in a vacant lot was used in the slayings of actress Jennifer Hudson's mother, brother and nephew.

Police Superintendent Jody Weis said Friday that forensic testing linked the .45-caliber gun found Wednesday to the killings.

He says police have a lot of work to do, but are "extraordinarily pleased and satisfied" by the find.

The bodies of 57-year-old Darnell Donerson and 29-year-old Jason Hudson were discovered in their South Side home last Friday. The body of 7-year-old Julian King was found Monday inside a sport utility vehicle on the city's West Side.

All three had been shot.

The gun was found in the neighborhood where the SUV was found.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CHICAGO_BODIES_HUDSON?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US

[MuffyBee]

New in Jennifer Hudson tragedy: Suspect won't be released; police details emerge
 By David Heinzmann |  Tribune staff reporter
    10:07 AM CST, November 10, 2008
The man police have called a suspect in the murder of actress Jennifer Hudson's family will remain in prison while investigators continue to investigate the triple slaying.

The Illinois Prisoner Review Board ruled this morning that there was reason to believe that William Balfour, 27, had violated his parole. The major reason was that his girlfriend had said that she had seen him with a gun that matched the murder weapon, according to Jorge Montes, chairman of the review board.

In addition, the board said he had violated parole by being in places where drugs were sold. That stems from a June 19 drug arrest, but Balfour's parole was not revoked at that time.

<snipped>

http://www.chicagotribune.com/chi-jennifer-hudson-update-1110-1,0,7273331.story

[MuffyBee]

Estranged relative arrested in Hudson killings
By DON BABWIN
Associated Press
Dec. 1, 2008, 5:28PM
CHICAGO — Police arrested the estranged brother-in-law of Jennifer Hudson on Monday in the deaths of the entertainer's mother, brother and young nephew, taking him from a prison where he had been held on a suspected parole violation.

William Balfour was arrested at Stateville Correctional Center and released to detectives as he awaited formal charges in the shooting deaths of the singer and Oscar-winning actress' relatives, said Chicago police spokeswoman Monique Bond.

Until Monday, police had identified Balfour, 27, only as a "person of interest" in the investigation. He had not been charged by late Monday afternoon, said Andy Conklin, a spokesman for the Cook County state's attorney's office.

The bodies of Jennifer Hudson's mother, Darnell Hudson Donerson, and brother, Jason Hudson, were discovered Oct. 24 at the family's home on the South Side of Chicago. The body of 7-year-old Julian King was found three days later in a sport utility vehicle on the West Side. All three had been shot.

Police took Balfour into custody the same day the bodies of Donerson and Hudson were discovered. After 48 hours — the longest Chicago police can hold a person without charges — Balfour was taken by the Illinois Department of Corrections on the suspected parole violation.

Gun match
Balfour — Julian's stepfather and the estranged husband of Jennifer Hudson's older sister, Julia Hudson — served seven years for a 1999 attempted murder and vehicular hijacking conviction.

His mother, Michelle Balfour of Chicago, has denied that her son had anything to do with the deaths. Telephone numbers for Balfour's mother and sister were disconnected Monday.

Balfour had refused to take a lie-detector test and stopped cooperating with detectives in the case, a police official, who was not authorized to discuss the case publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, has said.

Police have confirmed they found the gun used in the killings. The .45-caliber gun was discovered Oct. 29 in a vacant lot in the West Side neighborhood where the King's body was found a few days earlier.

Bond declined to discuss any evidence Monday. But after a hearing at the prison, the chairman of the Illinois Prisoner Review Board said a woman had told authorities that a gun used in the slayings was "identical" to the gun that was recovered.

At the time, board Chairman Jorge Montes said the evidence was key to a decision finding probable cause that Balfour violated his parole and should remain locked up pending a Dec. 3 hearing before a review board panel.

Balfour did not have an attorney at the November hearing, and the Cook County public defender's office said at the time that nobody from the office had been assigned because he was not formally charged with a crime.

No one in the public defender's office was assigned to Balfour's case late Monday, and it was not clear whether he had other representation.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/hotstories/6141421.html

[Nut44x4]

Prosecutors outline their case against Hudson brother-in-law

December 04, 2008 in print edition A-15

Prosecutors described in court Wednesday the evidence against Jennifer Hudson’s brother-in-law, who they say killed three members of the actress’ family out of jealousy.

William Balfour, 27, the estranged husband of Hudson’s sister Julia, stood quietly in court as prosecutors said that gunshot residue had been found on his car’s steering wheel and that he had lied about his movements on the morning of the murders.

Cook County Circuit Judge Raymond Myles ordered Balfour held without bail on three counts of first-degree murder and one count of home invasion in the Oct. 24 slayings.

Assistant State’s Atty. Lu Ann Snow told the judge that Balfour entered the Hudson family house in suburban Englewood at gunpoint and fatally shot Hudson’s mother, Darnell Donerson, 57, in the living room and her brother, Jason Hudson, 29, while he was still in bed. Her nephew, Julian King, 7, was shot to death the same day as he lay behind the front seat of Jason Hudson’s white Chevrolet Suburban, the prosecutor said. The boy’s body was discovered in the vehicle three days later.

Witnesses told police they had seen Balfour driving a white Suburban on the day of the killings, Snow said.

A few weeks before the slayings, the prosecutor said, Balfour went to his wife’s workplace and complained about her dating another man. Snow alleged that Balfour threatened to harm Julia Hudson’s family if she continued to see the other man.

Julia Hudson didn’t take the threat seriously because Balfour had threatened her family before but never followed through, Snow said.

On the morning of the killings, Balfour stopped at the family home and again warned Julia Hudson against having a relationship with another man, Snow said. Balfour left about 8:10 a.m., the same time that Julia Hudson left for work. The three victims were still asleep.

Snow said Balfour’s cellphone records indicate he was near the Hudson home until shortly after 9 a.m. Authorities believe the murders had taken place by then.

Prosecutors alleged that Balfour told a girlfriend that he killed Donerson and Jason Hudson and later lied to police about his travel that day.

Prosecutors said the murder weapon – a .45-caliber handgun – had been stolen from Jason Hudson by Balfour late last summer.

http://articles.latimes.com/2008/12/04/news/na-hudson4

[Nut44x4]

Did Hudson suspect William Balfour slip through cracks in system?
Eric Zorn
December 9, 2008
Q William Balfour, the man charged in the Oct. 24 slayings of entertainer Jennifer Hudson's mother, brother and nephew, wasn't exactly a model parolee, was he?

A No. He left prison in May 2006, having served almost 7 years for a conviction on carjacking and attempted murder. According to Illinois Department of Corrections officials, one of the conditions of his "mandatory supervised release"—what we informally call parole—was that he attend anger management classes. He didn't. Another was that he submit proof that he completed treatment for substance abuse. He didn't.

Then on June 19, police responding to a report of shots fired on the South Side arrested Balfour when they said they found a small amount of cocaine in his speeding car.

Q Didn't this run of incorrigible behavior make Balfour a strong candidate for a return trip to the hard rock hotel?

A Yes. But the state didn't send him back for parole violations until after he became a suspect in the Hudson case.

Q So he slipped through cracks in the system?

A Deanne Benos, assistant director of corrections, said no: Balfour's situation was carefully reviewed at the time by the state warrant officer—the person who oversees every decision to revoke parole.

And the warrant officer, whose name the department will not release, saw good in Balfour's record along with the bad: He saw that Balfour had passed random drug tests since his release, had been in regular contact with his parole agent and was holding down a steady job at a restaurant.

And even though Balfour stood convicted of attempted murder in 1998, and a parole violation on top of a violent-crime conviction is usually an automatic ticket back to prison, the warrant officer decided to cut Balfour a break, Benos said.

Q A break? On attempted murder?

A The charge was based on Balfour's decision to try to steal a car when he knew the owner was clinging to the roof to try to prevent the theft. Balfour, who wasn't armed, also rammed a light pole trying to dislodge the victim. So it wasn't your classic attempted murder.

When a Cook County judge dismissed the drug-possession charge against Balfour on July 16, the warrant officer decided the month Balfour had spent in jail waiting for his day in court was a sufficient sanction.

Q That's outrageous!

A It's not, really. At any given time, the state has about 33,000 ex-offenders in supervised release. And tossing them back into prison for minor, non-violent violations doesn't aid their rehabilitation, doesn't help their families or their communities and doesn't make us the rest of us safer.

Q But in hindsight, assuming the current murder charges against Balfour are true for the sake of argument, wouldn't the Hudson family have been safer if we'd sent Balfour back to prison in June based on his arrest?

A Probably not. Benos said that even if the warrant officer's decision had gone the other way and then been upheld by the Prisoner Review Board, Balfour's period of re-incarceration would likely have lasted less than 3 months. He would have been free on Oct. 24 either way.

Q So we can't blame the system for failing to prevent this tragedy?

A Not this time.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-zorn-09-dec09,0,4997918.story

[Nut44x4]

Well boo freakin' hoo hoo.....here is his defense strategy
I can see it all now ....

Hudson murder suspect led grim life before slayings
Documents show a depressed, suffering man with an unhappy childhood and a lack of stability

*I refuse to post it all...it is NO EXCUSE!!
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-jennifer-hudson-william-balfour-081207,0,4287643.story

[MuffyBee]

Balfour indicted in Hudson family murders

December 30, 2008

FROM STING WIRE REPORTS
The man charged with the murders of Oscar-winning actress/singer Jennifer Hudson’s mother, brother and young nephew was indicted Tuesday.

William Balfour, 27, the estranged husband of Jennifer Hudson’s sister, Julia, has been indicted on three counts of first-degree murder and one count of home invasion, according to Cook County State’s Attorney’s office spokeswoman Tandra Simonton.

Prosecutors have said Balfour was upset Julia was dating another man.

Balfour is set to be arraigned on the charges on Jan. 20, Simonton said.

Police believe Julia Hudson was in a quarrel with Balfour at the Hudson home in the 7000 block of South Yale in Englewood. Darnell Donerson, 57, and Jason Hudson, 29, were shot to death in the home, but Julia was not there. Julian, 7, was found dead three days later in an SUV on the West Side.

In late October, police found a .45-caliber pistol in bushes near the place where the SUV was parked. The gun was linked to the murders through ballistics tests, law enforcement sources said.

The gun is believed to have belonged to Jason Hudson. It had been missing from the South Yale home for several months and authorities suspect Balfour stole it, sources said.

Initially, Police took Balfour into custody for questioning after the murders, but he was released without charges. Shortly after that, he was taken into state custody for parole violations and has been held at Stateville ever since.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/24-7/1355294,w-balfour-indicted-hudson-family-murders-123008.article

[jamcakes]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-jennifer-hudson-trial-20120409,0,7420538.story

Jennifer Hudson plays key role in murder trial
Prospective jurors in the trial of the man accused of killing the singer's mother and brother are asked about her celebrity.

By Stacy St. Clair, Chicago Tribune

April 9, 2012
CHICAGO—

— To sit in judgment of William Balfour, would-be jurors must reveal everything they know about singer Jennifer Hudson, including whether they watched her on "American Idol," saw her star-making turn in "Dreamgirls" or read her new book.

They even must say whether they belong to Weight Watchers, the diet program for which Hudson has been a spokeswoman for several years.

About 150 prospective jurors were asked to make such revelations Thursday in a 26-page questionnaire that will help the defense and prosecution select the people to decide Balfour's fate. Direct questioning of jurors begins Monday.

Balfour, 30, is charged with fatally shooting Hudson's mother, Darnell Donerson, and her brother, Jason Hudson, in their Chicago home in 2008. He is also accused of kidnapping and killing Hudson's nephew Julian King, 7.

Hudson, who won an Oscar in 2007 for her role in "Dreamgirls," plays a major part in the questionnaire, which includes:

* Have you ever seen a movie in which Jennifer Hudson played any role?

* Have you ever seen Jennifer Hudson perform in person?

* Do you belong to any organization for which Jennifer Hudson is a spokesperson?

* Have you ever read a magazine or newspaper interview with Jennifer Hudson or an article about Jennifer Hudson or heard or seen a television or radio interview with Jennifer Hudson?

The questionnaires also ask potential jurors for their views on guns and illicit drugs, two issues that are expected to surface in testimony about Balfour and Hudson's brother.

 ::snipping2::

Burns has ordered that the identities of the jurors and their answers be kept secret until after a verdict has been reached.

Opening statements are scheduled for April 23.

[jamcakes]

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/11822418-421/jury-picked-for-hudson-family-murder-trial.htmlJury picked for Hudson family murder trial
Edit to add link provided by jam-cakes.  MB
Updated: April 11, 2012 2:24AM


A racially diverse panel of 12 jurors and six alternates has been chosen in the trial of the South Side man accused of killing three members of singer and Academy Award winning actress Jennifer Hudson’s family.

Most of the jurors — 14 — were selected Monday, and the remaining four were chosen Tuesday afternoon, including a Jesse White tumbler and a retired CTA dispatcher whose son was shot and rendered a paraplegic in 2002.

A goateed man who described himself as a “big” fan of Hudson’s, a food and lifestyles reporter from northwest Indiana and a woman who may have met defendant William Balfour’s estranged wife and Hudson’s sister, Julia, at a holiday toy drive were among those dismissed Tuesday afternoon.

 ::snipping2::

Balfour, 30, is accused of killing Hudson matriarch Darnell Donerson, 57, her son, Jason Hudson, 29, and Julia Hudson’s 7-year-old son, Julian King in 2008.

Those on the jury who were summoned to court on April 23 for opening statements include:

■ Juror No. 2: A white male in his 20s from the southwest suburbs who currently works at a country club. He was a criminal justice major in college and dreamed of becoming a police officer but after two days of training for the Illinois State Police, he realized law enforcement “wasn’t for me.”

■ Juror No. 5: Young married Caucasian woman. The South Loop resident is a manager at staffing service and says she doesn’t know much about Jennifer Hudson or the triple slayings.

■ Juror No. 7: White middle-aged woman from the southwest suburbs. The married mother of three teaches junior high. Her brother is a former assistant Cook County state’s attorney.

■ Juror No. 8: Asian-American woman, possibly in her 30s or 40s. The physical therapist from the northwest suburbs said she has watched some “American Idol” episodes, in which Jennifer Hudson had appeared.

■ Juror No. 14: African-American woman, possibly in her 30s, who lives in the southwest suburbs and works as a customer service representative at a chocolate company.

■ Juror No. 16: Male, Hispanic, possible in his 20s or 30s, who works as a truck driver. The Northwest Sider has three kids and likes playing soccer.

■ Juror No. 21: Older white man from the Southwest Side who works as an insurance adjuster. His sister had her throat slashed in a violent purse-snatching incident 25 years ago but she survived.

■ Juror No. 23: Asian-American man from the Northwest Side, possibly in his 30s. The budding architect’s brother was murdered in 1998, and he was forced to leave school to help with his family. He said despite his past experiences, he can be fair.

■ Juror No. 24: Older white man from the northwest suburbs. He has worked as a high school custodian for over three decades.

■ Juror No. 29: Middle-aged African-American woman from Hyde Park. The downtown security officer’s son was murdered in 2002. She assured the judge she can be impartial even though her child was slain.

■ Juror No. 31: African-American man, possibly in his 40s. The West Side customer service representative and father of five is a former Army Sergeant, Cook County Sheriff’s officer and Illinois Department of Corrections officer.

■ Juror No. 42: African-American man, possibly in his late 30s or early 40s, from the Southeast Side. He works as a bus aide for the Chicago Public Schools.

■ Juror No. 47: Hispanic woman, possibly in her 40s. The unemployed woman lives just three blocks away from the criminal courthouse, at 26th and California. The former bank teller is looking for a medical-related job.

■ Juror No. 50: White woman, possibly in her 40s or 50s, from the southwest suburbs. The unemployed woman didn’t know much about the case until she was called in for jury duty last week. “Uh-oh,” she said she thought. When the judge told her she had been picked, some of her peers laughed and pointed at her.

■ Juror No. 52: Older African-American woman, possibly in her 50s or 60s. The mother of four is a retired dispatcher for the CTA who also worked at two area hospitals. The Southeast Sider is active at her church. Her third youngest child was shot and paralyzed in 2002. She likes reading the Bible, bowling and crossword puzzles.

■ Juror No. 56: Young African-American male, possibly in his 20s and 30s. The South Sider, who works part time at an office supply store, was a Jesse White Tumbler for 16 years and still is with the organization as a trainer. He was sentenced to community service for shooting a child in the head with a BB gun in 2001. The child was jumping on a trampoline in his backyard, and he was just trying to scare him when the BB gun went off, the man explained.

■ Juror No. 59: Middle-aged African-American woman who lives on the Near North Side and works as a courier for an air freight company. She has two children and served on a jury for a murder trial at 26th and California in the 1990s.

■ Juror No. 61: Young white female, possibly in her 20s. The North Sider is a business manager and has a master’s degree in accounting.

[jamcakes]

Ooops, here's the link for the above article.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/11822418-421/jury-picked-for-hudson-family-murder-trial.html

[MuffyBee]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/jennifer-hudson-family-murder-trial-begins/story?id=16194264
Jennifer Hudson Family Murder Trial Begins
By ANDREW FIES and ALEX PEREZ
April 23, 2012

Jennifer Hudson today will go from the "Dreamgirl" life of her celebrity present to the nightmare world of her family past, pledging to be in attendance every day for the murder trial of the man accused of killing her mother, brother and nephew.

Defendant William Balfour was estranged from wife Julia Hudson, Jennifer's sister, at the time of the killings in Chicago. He was enraged that Julia was dating another man and issued several threats against her and her family, according to court documents. He allegedly carried out those threats Oct. 24, 2008, when, prosecutors say, he fatally shot the actress' mother, Darnell Donerson, 57, brother Jason Hudson, 29, and 7-year-old nephew Julian King.

He has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder and his trial is expected to last a month.

The killings happened in the family home in the tough Englewood neighborhood of Chicago where Jennifer grew up. The trial is likely to throw a harsh spotlight on the gritty world from which the actress rose to stardom. She is listed among the possible witnesses and might be called to testify.
 ::snipping2::
Video at Link

[jamcakes]

http://todayentertainment.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/24/12930855-william-balfour-gets-3-life-sentences-for-murder-of-jennifer-hudsons-family?lite


William Balfour gets 3 life sentences for murder of Jennifer Hudson's family

Updated at 3:44 p.m. PT: CHICAGO -- The man convicted of murdering Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson's mother, brother and young nephew was sentenced to life in prison on Tuesday, with the judge in the case deriding him as a man with "the heart of an arctic night."

William Balfour had been convicted in May 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.

Cook County Judge Charles Patrick Burns sentenced Balfour to three consecutive life terms with no opportunity for parole, plus 120 years for aggravated kidnapping and home invasion.

Prior to announcing his sentence, Burns told Balfour: "You have the heart of an arctic night. Your soul is as barren as dark space."

Hudson, wearing a tan pantsuit with a black jacket and high heels, wiped her eyes frequently during the sentencing hearing. Hudson, who won an Academy Award for her role in the movie "Dreamgirls" and a Grammy for her debut album, left the court without making a statement.

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Balfour's motive was jealousy of his estranged wife Julia Hudson, Jennifer's sister, whom he threatened numerous times, saying he would kill her after he killed her family, according to witnesses at the 11-day trial that ended with his conviction on May 11.

Gregory King, father of Hudson's murdered 7-year-old nephew Julian, spoke to the court before the sentencing.

When King learned that his son had been killed, "Instantly it was like a chunk of my heart was ripped out," he said. "I felt hopeless. I was filled with rage for William Balfour, the man who murdered my son."

 ::snipping2::

Speaking before the sentence was rendered, Balfour offered "my condolences" to the victim's family and his prayers to Julian King. "I still do love him," he said. He also repeated his claim of innocence.

Burns dismissed Balfour's expression of love for Hudson's nephew. "To tell us in open court that you loved that child is an insult to all of us," Burns said.

Balfour's attorneys said they planned to appeal the sentence.

[Sister]

http://todayentertainment.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/24/12930855-william-balfour-gets-3-life-sentences-for-murder-of-jennifer-hudsons-family?lite


William Balfour gets 3 life sentences for murder of Jennifer Hudson's family

Updated at 3:44 p.m. PT: CHICAGO -- The man convicted of murdering Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson's mother, brother and young nephew was sentenced to life in prison on Tuesday, with the judge in the case deriding him as a man with "the heart of an arctic night."

William Balfour had been convicted in May 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.

Cook County Judge Charles Patrick Burns sentenced Balfour to three consecutive life terms with no opportunity for parole, plus 120 years for aggravated kidnapping and home invasion.

Prior to announcing his sentence, Burns told Balfour: "You have the heart of an arctic night. Your soul is as barren as dark space."

Hudson, wearing a tan pantsuit with a black jacket and high heels, wiped her eyes frequently during the sentencing hearing. Hudson, who won an Academy Award for her role in the movie "Dreamgirls" and a Grammy for her debut album, left the court without making a statement.

Advertise | AdChoices

Balfour's motive was jealousy of his estranged wife Julia Hudson, Jennifer's sister, whom he threatened numerous times, saying he would kill her after he killed her family, according to witnesses at the 11-day trial that ended with his conviction on May 11.

Gregory King, father of Hudson's murdered 7-year-old nephew Julian, spoke to the court before the sentencing.

When King learned that his son had been killed, "Instantly it was like a chunk of my heart was ripped out," he said. "I felt hopeless. I was filled with rage for William Balfour, the man who murdered my son."

 ::snipping2::

Speaking before the sentence was rendered, Balfour offered "my condolences" to the victim's family and his prayers to Julian King. "I still do love him," he said. He also repeated his claim of innocence.

Burns dismissed Balfour's expression of love for Hudson's nephew. "To tell us in open court that you loved that child is an insult to all of us," Burns said.

Balfour's attorneys said they planned to appeal the sentence.

Thank you jamcakes for this update.
 ::justice2NJ::