Hudson sobs as murder case comes to an end

Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson sobbed during final arguments in the trial of the man accused of killing her mother, brother and seven-year-old nephew.

The defence for Hudson’s former brother-in-law, William Balfour, told jurors that prosecutors failed to prove their case, while prosecutors countered that they had “overwhelming circumstantial evidence” linking Balfour to the crime.

Hudson, who attended every day of testimony, sobbed as prosecutor Jennifer Bagby described what she called “the execution” of her family members in October 2008.

Balfour has pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder. If convicted on all counts, he faces a mandatory life prison term.

Balfour and Julia Hudson were estranged but not yet divorced when the shootings occurred, and prosecution witnesses testified he threatened dozens of times to kill the Hudson family if Julia Hudson refused to reconcile with him.

Prosecutors say Balfour shot Hudson’s mother, Darnell Donerson, in the living room of the Hudson family home on October 24 2008, then shot Hudson’s brother, Jason, in the head as he was lying in bed.

Balfour allegedly then abducted the boy and shot him as he lay behind a front seat of an SUV. His body was found in the abandoned vehicle after a three-day search.