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Jennifer Hudson testifies against brother-in-law in murder trial

Jennifer Hudson was the first prosecution witness to testify Monday in the trial of her brother-in-law, William Balfour, accused of murdering her mother, brother, and 7-year-old nephew in 2008. Shaken and barely able to hold back tears, Hudson, 30, spoke of her family’s objections to her sister Julia’s decision to marry Balfour. “None of us wanted her to marry him,” she said. “We did not like how he treated her.” In his opening statement, prosecutor Veryl Gambino said Balfour threatened the family when Julia asked him to move out. “Those were not idle threats,” he said. He holds that Balfour, who has pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder, felt rejected and attacked the Hudsons in a jealous rage.

FILE - In this Sept. 27, 2011 file photo, singer and actress Jennifer Hudson speaks in Chicago. On Monday morning, April 23, 2012, a court official says that Hudson has arrived at the Chicago courthouse for the start of the trial of William Balfour, the man accused in the 2008 killing of her mother, brother and nephew but will not be in court for opening statements. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green, File)
FILE - In this Sept. 27, 2011 file photo, singer and actress Jennifer Hudson speaks in Chicago. On Monday morning, April 23, 2012, a court official says that Hudson has arrived at the Chicago courthouse for the start of the trial of William Balfour, the man accused in the 2008 killing of her mother, brother and nephew but will not be in court for opening statements. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green, File)Read moreAP
    by Tirdad Derakhshani | Columnist
    Published 

Jennifer Hudson was the first prosecution witness to testify Monday in the trial of her brother-in-law, William Balfour, accused of murdering her mother, brother, and 7-year-old nephew in 2008. Shaken and barely able to hold back tears, Hudson, 30, spoke of her family's objections to her sister Julia's decision to marry Balfour.

"None of us wanted her to marry him," she said. "We did not like how he treated her." In his opening statement, prosecutor Veryl Gambino said Balfour threatened the family when Julia asked him to move out. "Those were not idle threats," he said. He holds that Balfour, who has pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder, felt rejected and attacked the Hudsons in a jealous rage.