Jury seated for Hudson kin slay trial

CHICAGO, April 10 (UPI) -- A jury was completed Tuesday for the Chicago trial of William Balfour, charged with killing three members of singer Jennifer Hudson's family.

Balfour, the 30-year-old estranged husband of Jennifer's sister Julia, has been charged with the 2008 shooting deaths of the Hudsons' mother and brother, as well as Julia's 7-year-old son.

The Chicago Tribune reported the 12-member jury and six alternates included 10 women and eight men, and comprise a racially mixed group from different walks of life.

Judge Charles Burns, who is overseeing the trial, advised the jurors to avoid media coverage of the case or Jennifer Hudson, who is scheduled to perform on Thursday's edition of "American Idol," the Tribune said.

A prior commitment of the judge was cited for the delay in getting to the opening statements, which are scheduled for April 23. The trial is expected to take up to a month to complete, the newspaper said.

Jennifer Hudson is a Grammy Award-winning singer who won an Oscar for her role in the movie musical "Dreamgirls."