A few weeks ago Jennifer Hudson posted a picture of herself enjoying the Easter sunshine with her partner, son and sister Julia. But there was a shadow hanging over the happy family scene.
The Dreamgirls star was due to testify in the trial of a man charged with killing her mother, brother and seven-year-old nephew – Julia's son Julian King. At the start of the proceedings Jennifer told a Chicago court that she'd known defendant William Balfour – her sister's estranged husband – since school but never liked him. "None of us, myself, my mother, or my brother, we did not like how he treated her, and I didn't like how he treated my nephew," she said, her voice breaking with emotion.
"I would tell (Julia) over and over again not to marry William".Watched by her fiancé David Otunga, who was taking notes, the actress gave evidence for 30 minutes, stopping occasionally to compose herself.
Prosecutors have accused the defendant of shooting Jennifer's mother, 57-year-old Darnell Donerson and brother Jason, 29, at her childhood home. Lawyers told the court he was in a jealous rage over the breakdown of the relationship. He is then alleged to have stolen Jason's SUV with Julian inside.
The defence argue that the murder was connected to Jason's past as a drug dealer. He had been shot twice before.