William Balfour Gets Three Life Sentences For Jennifer Hudson Family Murders
July 24 2012, Published 4:30 a.m. ET
By Debbie Emery - RadarOnline.com Reporter
Two months after being found guilty of murdering Jennifer Hudson's mother, brother and nephew, William Balfour was sentenced on Tuesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Judge Charles Burns imposed three consecutive life sentences for the murders and 120 years for the underlying felonies of home invasion and aggravated kidnapping, reported the Chicago Tribune.
Unable to restrain his own emotions over the cold-hearted slaying, Burns told the 30-year-old convicted killer that his crimes "send a chill through all of us" and said Balfour's "soul is as barren as dark space."
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Balfour was found guilty in the deaths of Jennifer’s mother Darnell Hudson Donerson, 57; brother Jason Hudson, 29; and nephew Julian King, 7, in October 2008.
Balfour claimed he loved Julian but the judge appeared disgusted. "The fact that you can stand in court and tell us you love that child is an insult to all of us," he said in the Cook County court.
"There's no doubt in my mind he looked up to you as you were putting bullets into his head. I just hope his terror was short-lived."
Balfour looked on in silence while the judge verbally lambasted him in a shaking voice; however earlier in the day he made a statement to the victims' family and his ex-wife, Julia.
- Jennifer Hudson Hesitant to Settle Down With Boyfriend Common Because of His Playboy Past: Report
- Jennifer Hudson Talk Show Staffers 'Walking on Eggshells' as Host Cleans House Ahead of Season 2: Sources
- ‘Things Took A Romantic Turn’: Jennifer Hudson & Common Secretly Dating Months After Portraying On-Screen Lovers In Action-Thriller Movie: Sources
DAILY. BREAKING. CELEBRITY NEWS. ALL FREE.
"My condolences go out to the family. My deepest sympathies go to Julian King. I loved him. I still love him."
Dreamgirls star Hudson has not commented on the sentencing but sent an uplifting message to her Twitter followers on Sunday, "When God is smiling on you, it doesn't matter who's frowning," she wrote.
Last week she encouraged her fans to support the 2nd Annual Julian D. King Hatch Day Celebration in Chicago on August 14 – which would have been her nephew's 11th birthday – to raise money to "hatch" the dreams of school age children.
RELATED STORIES:
Jennifer Hudson On Upcoming Wedding, Son Will ‘Definitely Be Part Of It’
Jennifer Hudson Had Second Thoughts About Marriage, But The Wedding's Back On Track
The Man Who Killed Jennifer Hudson's Family–Watch The Police Interrogation Video
Jennifer Hudson Family Murder: William Balfour Found GUILTY Of Triple Murder