The gun used in the murders of members of actress Jennifer Hudson’s family doesn’t have the DNA of the man on trial.
A .45-caliber gun was used to kill Hudson’s mother, brother and nephew in October 2008.
Illinois State Police forensic scientist Pauline Gordon analyzed the weapon for DNA. She testified Wednesday it did not contain any from defendant William Balfour. He faces three counts of first-degree murder in Cook County Criminal Court in the shooting deaths of Darnell Donerson, 57, Jason Hudson, 29, and Julian King, 7.
Gordon said there were low levels of DNA on the firearm. She said DNA wouldn’t be present if a person used gloves or wiped the weapon down. Weather can also degrade DNA.
Robert Berk, an Illinois State Police forensic analyst, testified that the steering wheel of Balfour’s car had gunshot residue. That green Chrysler was found near the crime scene in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood on the South Side.
Former neighbor Brittany Acoff Howard said Balfour was like a brother to her. She testified that Balfour called her the day of the murders. She said he instructed her “if anybody ask you, I’ve been out west all day.”
