L.D.ChuckmanJennifer Hudson and her sister Julia Hudson heard the verdict two months ago, and today, an Illinois judge said it will be the final one.
Hudson's brother-in-law, William Balfour, was found guilty on three counts of first-degree murder in the 2008 shooting of Jennifer's mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew. After being denied a motion for a new trial, Balfour was sentenced to life in prison.
In May, a Jury found Balfour, Julia's then-estranged husband, guilty of killing 57-year-old Darnell Donerson, 29-year-old Jason Hudson and Julian King in a jealous rage and kidnapping Julian, who was found dead in Jason's stolen SUV three days later.
Balfour faced a mandatory life sentence stemming from the guilty verdict (Illinois does not have the death penalty), though he tried to have his trial redone. E! News can confirm that a motion for a new trial was denied early Tuesday.
Cook County Circuit Judge Charles Burns has given Balfour three life sentences as well as 120 years for other charges (including home invasion, residential burglary, aggravated kidnapping and possession of a stolen vehicle).
While E! News previously learned that one sister was slated to make statements before sentencing was handed down, neither Jennifer nor Julia made any statements to the judge prior to sentencing. Both were present for the proceedings and the sentencing, though. Gregory King, Julian's dad, did speak prior to sentencing.
After the verdict was revealed in May, the Hudson sisters extended a prayer to the Balfour family, saying, "We have all suffered terrible loss in this tragedy…It is our prayer that the Lord will forgive Mr. Balfour of these heinous acts and bring his heart into repentance someday."
Jennifer also recently started the Julian King Foundation, a charity set up to honor her late nephew.