Published: Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Judge upholds arrest in Hudson family slayings
CHICAGO -- A judge ruled Tuesday that Chicago police acted properly when they arrested an estranged husband of singer Jennifer Hudson's sister in connection with the slayings of three family members in 2008.
Attorneys for William Balfour had sought to quash his arrest and throw out evidence from a search, including a cellphone that detectives used to place Balfour near the victims' home in the Englewood neighborhood.
Balfour's attorneys claimed officers had no probable cause to believe he was a suspect and had not obtained a search warrant when they found him hours after the slayings hiding in his girlfriend's West Side apartment.
But in denying the motion, Cook County Judge Charles Burns noted that police had quickly learned from several witnesses that Balfour, the estranged husband of Hudson's sister, Julia, was frustrated over their deteriorating relationship and had recently made threats to kill the entire family.
Julia Hudson had seen Balfour at the home that morning before leaving for work, and neighbors said they heard gunshots a short time later, said the judge, citing testimony from a court hearing last week. When she returned home that afternoon, Julia Hudson found her mother, Darnell Donerson, 57, and brother, Jason Hudson, 29, shot to death.
Her son, Julian King, 7, was missing, as was the family's SUV, so police had reason to believe that the child was in danger when they went into Balfour's girlfriend's home and made the arrest, Burns ruled. Julian was found shot to death a few days later inside the van.
Attorneys for William Balfour had sought to quash his arrest and throw out evidence from a search, including a cellphone that detectives used to place Balfour near the victims' home in the Englewood neighborhood.
Balfour's attorneys claimed officers had no probable cause to believe he was a suspect and had not obtained a search warrant when they found him hours after the slayings hiding in his girlfriend's West Side apartment.
But in denying the motion, Cook County Judge Charles Burns noted that police had quickly learned from several witnesses that Balfour, the estranged husband of Hudson's sister, Julia, was frustrated over their deteriorating relationship and had recently made threats to kill the entire family.
Julia Hudson had seen Balfour at the home that morning before leaving for work, and neighbors said they heard gunshots a short time later, said the judge, citing testimony from a court hearing last week. When she returned home that afternoon, Julia Hudson found her mother, Darnell Donerson, 57, and brother, Jason Hudson, 29, shot to death.
Her son, Julian King, 7, was missing, as was the family's SUV, so police had reason to believe that the child was in danger when they went into Balfour's girlfriend's home and made the arrest, Burns ruled. Julian was found shot to death a few days later inside the van.
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