Justice for Jennifer Hudson: Week 1

By: Jenée Desmond-Harris | Posted: April 27, 2012 at 12:46 PM

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Friday, April 27, 2012: Three key witnesses testify: Testimony continued Friday in the trial of William Balfour, the man accused of killing three relatives of Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson. Jurors heard Thursday from Robbin Myers, who testified that Balfour came to a birthday party at his home in August 2008 and "went on a rant." According to the Chicago Tribune, other witnesses to testify included a former crack addict and a jail inmate.

Thursday, April 26, 8:51 a.m. EDT: Defendant emotional as images of Hudson's nephew are shown: The Chicago Tribune reports that William Balfour hung his head low and appeared to wipe tears from his eyes Wednesday as photos of Jennifer Hudson's slain nephew flashed in a courtroom.

Wednesday, April 25, 4:23 p.m. EDT: Prosecutors to focus on 7-year-old victim Julian King: Prosecutors in the trial of William Balfour, the man accused of murdering members of Jennifer Hudson's family, are now expected to focus on the youngest victim, the Oscar winner's 7-year-old nephew, Julian King, CBS News reports. In court today, a police officer testified about the frantic search for Julian, nicknamed "juice box," who was found in an SUV three days later.

Wednesday, April 25, 9:18 a.m. EDT: Hudson skips showing of crime-scene photos: The Chicago Sun-Times reports that after a court recess, Hudson and her sister never returned to the courtoom Tuesday to see Chicago Police evidence technician Donald Fanelli take the stand in testimony that included images of her murderd loved ones.

Tuesday, April 24, 1:30 p.m. EDT: After Jennifer Hudson's testimony, evidence becomes the focus: Chicago prosecutors called Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson as their first witness during the Chicago trial of the man accused of killing her mother, brother and nephew. But today evidence is the focus, the New York Daily News reports. With no surviving witnesses to the murders, prosecutors will need to offer circumstantial evidence that William Balfour, the ex-husband of Hudson's sister, committed the murders on Oct. 24, 2008. They are expected to introduce cellphone records and security-camera footage that place Balfour in the area of the killings over the next few days.

Read prior courtroom updates from The Root's Midwest bureau chief, Lynette Holloway, here.

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