Jennifer Hudson

CHICAGO - Friends and relatives of Jennifer Hudson listened to spiritual songs and reminisced about her late mother, brother, and nephew at a memorial service yesterday at the childhood church of the singer and Oscar-winning actress. Many of those songs featured Hudson, who did not attend the memorial service for Darnell Donerson, 57, Jason Hudson, 29, and Julian King, 7. The three were fatally shot late last month. Jennifer Hudson's sister, Julia, also did not attend. Private funeral services are scheduled for today.

A Chicago jury on Friday convicted Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson 's former brother-in-law of murdering her mother, brother, and 7-year-old nephew in what prosecutors described as an act of vengeance by a jilted husband. Hudson, who expressed her undisguised disdain for William Balfour (above) when she took the witness stand and who endured weeks of excruciating testimony about the October 2008 killings, was visibly overcome with emotion as the verdict was read. Balfour, 31, faces a mandatory life prison sentence.

Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson broke down in tears Monday while testifying at the trial of the man accused of killing her mother, brother, and 7-year-old nephew in a jealous rage four years ago. Hudson was the first witness called after prosecutors and attorneys for William Balfour finished their opening statements. Her voice broke as she described her reaction when her sister, Julia Hudson, told her she was going to marry Balfour. "None of us wanted her to marry him," she said.

Jurors shrugged off Jennifer Hudson's star status and insisted it played no role in their decision to convict her former brother-in-law for slaying the Oscar winner's mother, brother and nephew — a verdict that means the 31-year-old Chicago man will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars. "This wasn't about her," juror Jacinta Gholston said. "It was a case about William Balfour. " Just an hour before convicting Balfour of first-degree murder Friday, jurors told the judge three among them still weren't convinced of his guilt.

Jennifer Hudson is working on a memoir, mostly about food. The Academy Award-winning actress and singer has a deal with Dutton for a memoir about her struggles with weight and how she dropped 80 pounds. Dutton, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), announced Tuesday that Hudson’s book will come out in January. The memoir is currently untitled. The 29-year-old Hudson is known for the film “Dreamgirls,’’ for which she won an Oscar for best supporting actress. Her latest album, “I Remember Me,’’ came out this year.

If the whole singing and acting thing ever falls apart for Jennifer Hudson, you might find her working at a tattoo parlor. The Oscar- and Grammy-winning performer was interviewed at the Grammy Museum on Saturday by Bob Santelli, the director of the museum. At one point, he asked her what she would be doing if she wasn't able to pursue a career in singing or acting. "I promised myself a long time ago I would use my gifts and my talents," she said. She added that she could draw: "(I'd)

Moments after finding her mother's body, the sister of Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson sobs as she pleads for help in a disturbing 911 recording released to the news media Monday. "Oh my God…. Somebody's killed my mother," Julia Hudson says, while a dispatcher tries to get her to calm down and repeat her address. "She's on the floor and I see blood coming from her head. " A judge in Chicago released the tape after a request by the Chicago Tribune, Sun-Times Media and The Associated Press.

Jurors shrugged off Jennifer Hudson's star status and insisted it played no role in their decision to convict her former brother-in-law for slaying the Oscar winner's mother, brother and nephew — a verdict that means the 31-year-old Chicago man will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars. "This wasn't about her," juror Jacinta Gholston said. "It was a case about William Balfour. " Just an hour before convicting Balfour of first-degree murder Friday, jurors told the judge three among them still weren't convinced of his guilt.

A Chicago jury on Friday convicted Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson 's former brother-in-law of murdering her mother, brother, and 7-year-old nephew in what prosecutors described as an act of vengeance by a jilted husband. Hudson, who expressed her undisguised disdain for William Balfour (above) when she took the witness stand and who endured weeks of excruciating testimony about the October 2008 killings, was visibly overcome with emotion as the verdict was read. Balfour, 31, faces a mandatory life prison sentence.

A Chicago jury convicted Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson's former brother-in-law on Friday of murdering her mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew in what prosecutors described as an act of vengeance by a jilted husband. Hudson, who expressed her undisguised disdain for William Balfour when she took the witness stand and endured weeks of excruciating testimony about the 2008 killings, was overcome with emotion as the verdict was read. She bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes and streaming down her cheeks.

A Chicago jury convicted Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson's former brother-in-law on Friday of murdering her mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew in what prosecutors described as an act of vengeance by a jilted husband. Hudson, who expressed her undisguised disdain for William Balfour when she took the witness stand and endured weeks of excruciating testimony about the 2008 killings, was overcome with emotion as the verdict was read. She bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes and streaming down her cheeks.

Jurors finished a second day of deliberations Thursday without a verdict in the trial of the man charged with murdering Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson's mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew. The jury is scheduled to resume deliberations Friday morning in the trial of Hudson's former brother-in-law, William Balfour. Judge Charles Burns has ordered the jurors sequestered at a hotel to ensure they won't view media coverage of the trial. Balfour, who turned 31 on Thursday, pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder in the October 2008...

Two weeks of expert witnesses, grisly crime-scene photos and tearful testimony by Jennifer Hudson culminates Wednesday in closing arguments at the trial of the man accused of killing three of the Oscar-winner's relatives. The prosecution is likely to argue that overwhelming circumstantial evidence presented by 83 witnesses during their 11-day case proves Hudson's former brother-in-law, William Balfour, killed the star's mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew. The defense — which began and then closed their case Tuesday after a mere 30 minutes — is...

Jennifer Hudson arrives each day at the trial of the man accused of killing three of her close family members with her personal bodyguards in tow. She uses a secret entrance to elude photographers, eats in private and waits for proceedings to start in normally off-limits judge's chambers. The Oscar winner, recently named one of the world's most beautiful women by People magazine, slips from the courtroom during particularly gory testimony. Do the accommodations for the actress and singer add up to special star treatment?

Moments after finding her mother's body, the sister of Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson sobs as she pleads for help in a disturbing 911 recording released to the news media Monday. "Oh my God…. Somebody's killed my mother," Julia Hudson says, while a dispatcher tries to get her to calm down and repeat her address. "She's on the floor and I see blood coming from her head. " A judge in Chicago released the tape after a request by the Chicago Tribune, Sun-Times Media and The Associated Press.

Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson broke down in tears Monday while testifying at the trial of the man accused of killing her mother, brother, and 7-year-old nephew in a jealous rage four years ago. Hudson was the first witness called after prosecutors and attorneys for William Balfour finished their opening statements. Her voice broke as she described her reaction when her sister, Julia Hudson, told her she was going to marry Balfour. "None of us wanted her to marry him," she said.

Jennifer Hudson will pay tribute to her idol, Whitney Houston, at Sunday's Grammy Awards. Houston died Saturday at the Beverly Hills Hotel. The cause of death has not yet been determined. Show Ken Ehrlich said that Hudson will be featured in a "musical tribute. " He said it's too fresh to do more at this time, but they had to note the Grammy-winner's amazing accomplishments. Prior to the news of Houston's death, Hudson attended a pre-Grammy event Saturday where she discussed the impact Houston had on her career.

Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson is on the witness list for the upcoming Chicago trial of the man accused of killing her mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew in 2008, according to court documents. But prosecutors haven't yet disclosed whether Hudson will actually testify at the April 9 trial of William Balfour, who was the estranged husband of Hudson's sister, Julia. Hudson told investigators that she talked to her mother in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood every day and knew something was wrong when she hadn't heard from her by late in the...

Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson is on the witness list for the upcoming Chicago trial of the man accused of killing her mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew in 2008, according to court documents. But prosecutors haven't yet disclosed whether Hudson will actually testify at the April 9 trial of William Balfour, who was the estranged husband of Hudson's sister, Julia. Hudson told investigators that she talked to her mother in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood every day and knew something was wrong when she hadn't heard from her by late in the morning of Oct. 24, 2008, according to...