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The trial of William Balfour, the man accused of murdering Jennifer Hudson’s mother, Darnell Donerson, brother, Jason Hudson and nephew, Julian King in October 0f 2008 began today, with Jennifer taking the stand as the first witness.

Balfour was married to Jennifer’s sister, Julia and is said to have killed the family in a jealous rage after Julia asked for a divorce. Details of Jennifer’s testimony can be found at the Chicago Tribune

Singer Jennifer Hudson choked back tear this morning as she testified that no one in her family wanted her sister to marry William Balfour, the man now accused of killing her mother, brother and nephew.

“We didn’t like the way he treated her, and I didn’t like the way he treated my nephew,” she said.

Balfour is accused of fatally shooting Hudson’s mother, Darnell Donerson; brother Jason Hudson; and her 7-year-old nephew, Julian King, as an act of spite after Julia Hudson told him that she wanted a divorce.

She recalled learning about the murders in a phone call from her frantic sister and told how she flew back immediately to Chicago to identify the bodies of her mother and brother at the morgue. She offered a $100,000 reward for her nephew.

“We were trying everything, anything we could do to get him back,” she said.

Two days after posting the reward, Hudson was asked to return to the morgue to identify Julian’s body. His body was discovered a few days later in a vehicle stolen from the Hudson home.

Hudson struggled to maintain her composure as she remembered happier times spent with her nephew, whom she affectionately called “Tugga Bear.”

Jennifer is expected to attend the trial every day. I can’t even imagine how hard that would be. Thoughts and prayers go out to Jennifer and her family.