Yesterday, Jennifer Hudson’s episode of Oprah’s Next Chapter aired. In it the starlet revealed she’s still grieving the 2008 murder of her mother, brother and nephew. In addition, Hudson says she forgives William Balfour, her sister’s estranged husband and the man convicted of murdering her family.
The Oscar and Grammy winner recalls seeing Balfour in the courtroom during the trial, “It made my skin crawl,” she said. In the days that would follow, that negative energy would turn into a feeling of relief as he was convicted of three counts of first-degree murder. Now that Balfour has been sentenced to three consecutive life sentences, Hudson says she forgives him. “For the most part it’s not his fault,” said Hudson. “It’s like what he was taught and how he was brought up. We tried to offer love. He was so far gone he couldn’t even see that. He never had a chance.”
As for the impact of the murders four years later Hudson says, “There’s so many shocks involved in it. Like, who do I grieve for first or who do I start with? Of course, I’m going to think of my mother because it’s my mother. I think of her a lot. Next I think of Julian or my brother. I have moments where it’s bits and pieces.”
Hudson admits she hasn’t visited the gravesite of her slain family members since they were buried. “Now I want to go because I feel like we’ve accomplished this. We’ve done this. We got justice for you. I can’t come back here empty handed. I’ve come back with justice being served.”
What did you think of Hudson’s revealing interview with Oprah?