Jennifer Hudson and her sister Julia took the stand yesterday as the trial in the murders of their mother, brother, and Julia’s son Julian began in Chicago.

William Balfour, Julia’s estranged husband, is accused of killing Jennifer’s mother Darnell Donerson, brother Jason Hudson, and nephew Julian King on October 24, 2008. He has pleaded not guilty to all 3 counts of first degree murder.

On the stand, Jennifer’s voice reportedly cracked as she gave an emotional testimony about how her family never wanted Julia to marry William, though both she and her sister had known him for a long time.

“None of us wanted her to marry him. We didn’t like the way he treated her, and I didn’t like the way he treated my nephew.”

She described her close relationship with her mother and noted that there wasn’t a day she didn’t receive a text from her. But on the day of the murders, she had not heard from her mother, which she thought was strange, and was later awoken by a phone call from her sister, frantically telling her what had happened.

Jennifer appeared to lose her composure as her 30 minute testimony went on. More than once, the judge had to ask her to speak up, and when the prosecutor asked her to identify a picture of her mother, she broke down in tears. She was only able to whisper, “That’s my mommy.”

Emotions took over the court room again when her sister Julia took the stand.

When Hudson’s sister, Julia Hudson, testified later in the day about her ex-husband’s alleged threats against her family, Jennifer Hudson was watching from a fourth-row bench. She bowed her head and dabbed away tears as prosecutors played a recording of the 911 call her sister made after discovering their mother’s bloodied body.

“Oh my God, oh my God,” Julia Hudson is heard yelling at a dispatcher, who tells her to stop screaming because he can’t understand her. “My momma, my momma!”

The remainder of the trial will now focus on the evidence, which Balfour’s defense team says is only circumstantial.

Thoughts and prayers are with the Hudson family during this difficult time.

Source: Washington Post