Chicago Police DepartmentThe man standing trial for killing Jennifer Hudson's mother, brother and nephew pleaded not guilty this morning to charges of first-degree murder and home invasion.
While 27-year-old William Balfour was present in the courtroom for this morning's arraignment, his attorney, Joshua Kutnick, did all the talking, entering the plea on Balfour's behalf in Cook County Circuit Court.
Balfour is currently being held at Illinois' Stateville Correctional Center and has been in police custody since Oct. 26, just two days after the murders of 57-year-old Darnell Donerson, 29-year-old Jason Hudson and 7-year-old Julian King.
Balfour was formally indicted on the four charges last month. At the same time, Kutnick requested that his client be transferred to the Cook County Jail to be nearer his family.
Because Judge Rosemary Laws, who is presiding in the case, was not in court today, the request was tabled until Balfour's next hearing on Jan. 27.
As for Hudson, her next big day is Feb. 1, when she will perform the national anthem at the Super Bowl. A week later, she'll take the stage and sing at the Grammys, where she's up for three awards.