Jennifer Hudson has testified in her family murder trial

Jennifer Hudson has testified in her family murder trial.

The singer, who was on the witness list, became the unexpected first witness to be called on by the prosecution in the case against William Balfour, who is accused of killing her mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew in October 2008.

She said: ‘My name is Jennifer Kate Hudson. I’m an actress and a singer’, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

She responded to prosecutors’ questions softly but confidently and when asked to identify the defendant, pointed at Balfour.

‘He’s sitting right there,’ she said.

Hudson told the court that she had known Balfour since middle school but had never liked him. Balfour looked at Hudson but otherwise showed little emotion during her testimony.

Hudson began to cry when she spoke about her seven-year-old nephew Julian.

‘It was always me and my Tugga Bear. That’s what I called him,’ she said of her nephew, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Hudson was tearful as she started to describe her reaction when her sister, Julia Hudson, told her she was going to marry Balfour.

‘None of us wanted her to marry him,’ she said, her voice cracking and struggling to hold back tears.

‘None of us – myself, my mother, or my brother  – we did not like how he treated her, and I didn’t like how he treated my nephew.

‘I would tell her (Julia) over and over again not to marry William.’

Jennifer broke down in tears when the prosecutor asked her about the last time she saw her family, which she revealed was at a surprise visit a week before they were murdered.

She said: “It was my mother, my brother, my sister and my dog. I was so surprised. The whole family is here. That was the last time I saw them. Thank God I had the opportunity.”

Balfour is charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of Darnell Donerson, 57, Jason Hudson, 29, and Julian King, 7 along with home invasion, aggravated kidnapping, residential burglary and possession of a stolen motor vehicle.

Balfour has plead not guilty to all charges.