Defense rests in Hudson family murder trial

May 8, 2012 (CHICAGO) -- The defense rested in the trial of the man accused of killing Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson's mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew.

Attorneys for William Balfour rested their case Tuesday after calling two police detectives as witnesses. Balfour chose not to testify in his own defense.

The judge says closing arguments will be Wednesday morning. Jurors will then begin deliberations.

Prosecutors rested their case earlier Tuesday after spending two weeks laying out a largely circumstantial case against Balfour.

Jennifer Hudson has sat through the trial with her fiance and sister, hanging her head during particularly grim testimony. She was the first of 81 state witnesses.

After 11 days of testimony, lead prosecutor Jim McKay called the evidence overwhelming against Balfour.

Before the state wrapped up their case, they presented the one physical piece of evidence that links Balfour to the murders, especially to 7-year-old Julian King.

Chicago Police Detective Chester Bach testified that a key on a set that belonged to Balfour the day he was taken into custody fits Jason Hudson's white SUV. Prosecutors allege Balfour drove Hudson's suburban with King's body to the West Side. But, as the defense pointed out to the jury, the key was not tested until September of last year, three years after the murders.

Recalled as a defense witness, Detective Thomas Kelly admitted there was no mention of the keys in his first police report, which Kelly called preliminary. The keys were included in a different report about a month after the murders. Kelly told the jury the keys had been kept in a sergeant's drawer for the duration of the time.

The defense's second and last witness was detective Gregory Jacobson. He admitted that he made a mistake on a police report about the timing of when a witness saw Hudson's SUV parked on the West Side a day after the murders.

Jury deliberations could begin Wednesday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

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