A jury in Chicago found William Balfour, Jennifer Hudson’s former brother-in-law, guilty on Friday on three counts of murder in the first-degree and four other counts related to the 2008 murders of the entertainer’s mother, brother, and young nephew. The state of Illinois has no death penalty, but Balfour was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Hudson was in the courtroom with her fiancé, David Otunga, and her sister, Julia when she broke down in tears after the verdict was announced. In addition to the murder charges, Balfour was also found guilty of aggravated kidnapping, home invasion, residential burglary, and possession of a stolen vehicle.
Balfour was accused of shooting and killing Hudson’s mother, 57-year-old Darnell Donerson, her brother, 29-year-old Jason Hudson, and her 7-year-old nephew, Julian King, who was found in an abandoned vehicle three days after the murders. Balfour was depicted as a jealous man who murdered the three in a rage at the thought that his wife Julia had a boyfriend. The Hudson sisters released a statement hours after the verdict thanking God, the prosecution team, “the best police department” and “people all over the world” for their support. The statement read, “It is our prayer that the Lord will forgive Mr. Balfour of these heinous acts and bring his heart into repentance someday.”
