Jury in Hudson-related case meets for 3rd day

Jurors have begun a third day of deliberations in the Chicago trial of a man accused of killing Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson’s mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew.

There was no indication heading into Friday’s deliberations whether jurors were close to reaching agreement on the case against 31-year-old William Balfour. Jurors have been sequestered overnight since getting the case Wednesday.

Balfour is Hudson’s former brother-in-law and was estranged from her sister, Julia Hudson, at the time of the October 2008 killings.

Prosecutors contend Balfour murdered the victims because Julia Hudson refused to take him back.

Defense attorneys argue there is little evidence tying Balfour to the killings.

Balfour is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and would face a mandatory life prison term if convicted.