Judge: Arrest in slayings of Jennifer Hudson’s family legal
BY RUMMANA HUSSAIN Criminal Courts Reporter rhussain@suntimes.com February 14, 2012 1:42PM
William Balfour was ordered Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012, to stand trial in April for first-degree murder in the October 2008 shooting deaths of three members of singer-actress Jennifer Hudson's family.
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Updated: March 16, 2012 8:12AM
A Cook County judge Tuesday denied a motion to quash the arrest of the man accused of killing Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson’s relatives and ruled that evidence taken during his arrest could be allowed into evidence during his trial.
Judge Charles Burns said the testimony of officers who took the stand in a hearing last week was “credible” and agreed that William Balfour’s Oct. 24, 2008, arrest was “proper” following the triple Englewood slaying.
Burns pointed to prior threats Balfour allegedly made to Jennifer Hudson’s sister, Julia, as well as the rest of the family and noted that Balfour was near their home when neighbors heard gunshots.
“There’s no reason to deny the veracity of prior threats,” Burns said, adding that Balfour’s jealousy “escalated” when Julia Hudson, his estranged wife, started seeing another man and expressed no desire to get back together with Balfour.
Chicago Police officers may not have had a warrant when they came into Balfour’s girlfriend’s home in the 1900 block of South Springfield. But they were justified in their fear that Balfour could be armed after the bodies of Hudson matriarch Darnell Donerson, 57, and her 29-year-old son, Jason, were discovered inside their home without any signs of forced entry, Burns said.
Plus, the judge said, Julia Hudson’s son, Julian, 7, remained missing at the time of the arrest and authorities rightfully believed the child could be in grave danger.
Julian Hudson was found dead three days later.
Balfour, 30, is expected to stand trial in April.
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