Defendant Won't Testify in Hudson Family Trial
Defense lawyers for William Balfour, the man accused of killing Jennifer Hudson's mother, brother and nephew in 2008, said on Tuesday their client would not take the witness stand.
The defense team informed the judge that Balfour would not be testifying just minutes after the prosecution rested its case in a Chicago courtroom after calling 83 witnesses. The last prosecution witness was a Chicago police officer who testified
that a key found on Balfour when he was arrested matched the SUV owned
by Hudson's slain 29-year-old brother Jason.
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Balfour has pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder in the October 2008 slayings. Prosecutors have been relying on circumstantial evidence to prove their case, which alleges that the suspect shot the family members in a jealous rage because Jennifer's sister Julia broke up with him and began dating another man.
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The Oscar-winning Hudson was the first witness called by the prosecution at the beginning of the trial and she fought back tears as she told jurors how she always disliked Balfour and was distraught when her sister told her she planned to marry him.
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The defense also rested their case Tuesday and closing arguments are scheduled to begin Wednesday morning. Jurors will then begin their deliberations.