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Judge won't delay jury selection for Jennifer Hudson family slaying case

Jennifer Hudson's Brother-In-Law, William Balfour
A Wednesday,Dec. 3, 2008 booking photo released by the Cook County Sheriff's Department shows William Balfour. Balfour, charged Tuesday with three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of three family members of singer and actress Jeniifer Hudson. AP

(CBS/AP) CHICAGO - A Cook County judge has denied a request to delay jury selection for the man accused of killing Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson's mother, brother, and 7-year-old nephew.

William Balfour's defense attorneys asked during a hearing Tuesday to delay the proceedings because of a scheduling conflict for one of them.

Ultimately, Judge Charles Burns said the trial needs to stay on schedule, and kept jury selection set to begin on April 9. The trial is set to begin April 23.

Balfour is the estranged husband of Hudson's sister, Julia. Prosecutors say he had threatened to kill members of the family at least two dozen times before the October 2008 slayings. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for Monday.

Complete coverage of the Hudson family murders on Crimesider

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