Jury selection begins Thursday in the trial of William Balfour, the man accused of killing three members of singer Jennifer Hudson's family.
Judge Charles P. Burns will introduce a pool of about 150 potential jurors to Balfour. Candidates then will fill out a questionnaire asking such things as how much they know about Hudson's career and whether they are fans of the Grammy Award winner and actress.
Balfour, 30, the estranged husband of Hudson's sister, Julia, is accused of killing Hudson's mother, Darnell Donerson; her 29-year-old brother, Jason Hudson; and her 7-year-old nephew, Julian King.
In October 2008, Hudson's mother and brother were shot inside the family's Englewood home. Julian King's body was found three days later.
Prosecutors have said Balfour made numerous threats against the family after his relationship with Julia Hudson fell apart.
The jury pool on Thursday will be questioned about their knowledge of Hudson or whether or not they could have been biases on the publicity of the murders. On Monday, individual interviews with Burns will begin.
Burns ordered that jurors' identities remain secret until after the trial.
Selection of 12 jurors and six alternates is expected to take about two or three days. The trial starts April 23.
