Jennifer Hudson breaks down whilst testifying in family murder trial

A tearful Jennifer Hudson took to the witness stand in a Chicago yesterday to open the murder trial against her former brother-in-law, accused of killing her mother, brother and nephew back in 2008.

The Oscar winning actress and singer was the first witness to offer testimony in proceedings against William Balfour, whom prosecutors say murdered the three victims following previous threats against the family.

As you can expect it wasn’t particularly easy for Hudson as she struggled holding back tears as she told the court about first hearing that her sister, Julia, planned to get hitched to the onetime gang member.

“None of us wanted her to marry him,” said Hudson. “We did not like how he treated her, and I didn’t like how he treated my nephew.”

Balfour was estranged from Julia Hudson, at the time of the incident in 2008. Prosecutors argue that he flew into a jealous rage and fatally shot Hudson’s mother, Darnell Donerson, as well as her brother James and her 7-year-old son Julian King.

Balfour has pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder. If he’s convicted, he faces a mandatory life sentence.