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BALFOUR'S CRIMINAL RECORD RUNS DEEP: Suspect in J-Hud family murders has multiple drug and theft offenses; His mother speaks out, saying system is 'retarded.'
Also: Jennifer Hudson says she's honored to receive Grammy nominations
*In his 27 years, William Balfour has been arrested multiple times for infractions ranging from drug possession, to criminal trespassing, to his most recent arrest for the shooting deaths of Jennifer Hudson's mother, brother and nephew.
Prosecutors gave a brief rundown of Balfour's history at Wednesday's hearing, where a judge denied bond and him held on three counts of first-degree murder. But the Associated Press reveals more details about his checkered past from court and arrest records and from people who know him.
The AP reports: Raised by his mother and a godmother while his father served a prison sentence for murder, Balfour's record shows juvenile arrests dating to 1996 for marijuana possession and criminal trespass to a vehicle, then probation violations for arrests on the same counts.
His arrests and detentions got in the way of school, and he dropped out in the 10th grade. Placed in a group home in 1997, he stayed only a couple of months before returning to Chicago. He worked at low-paying jobs, one as a grill man in a Wendy's restaurant and another at a steakhouse salad bar.
Balfour and his brother both found drugs, with his brother serving time on a cocaine charge. In 1992, he joined the Gangster Disciples; his nickname was "Flex."
His most serious brush with the law came in 1998, when Balfour hopped in a Chevrolet Suburban and drove off. The owner, Charles Gardner, jumped on the vehicle to stop him, but Balfour stepped on the gas.
Balfour drove off with Gardner "hanging on top of it at a high rate of speed down an expressway, swerving and weaving in and out of traffic," according to records. He drove through red lights and intentionally hit a light pole, a fence and an iron gate, records say.
That led to a conviction for attempted murder and vehicular hijacking and landed Balfour in state prison for seven years. He walked out of prison in May 2006 and was placed on parole until May of next year.
After Balfour got out, he started dating a young woman he'd known from high school. Five days after Christmas 2006, the 25-year-old Balfour married 29-year-old Julia Hudson, who already had a little boy. The same month, her sister starred in the movie "Dreamgirls," a role that would earn Jennifer Hudson an Academy Award for best supporting actress.
Drugs remained a part of Balfour's life after prison. He was arrested in June with crack cocaine in his car, parole records show. A judge dismissed the charge for lack of probable cause.
Bennett, the neighbor, said people were stunned when Julia Hudson married Balfour, whom he described as someone he did his best to avoid. It isn't clear when their marriage began to unravel, but Bennett said it was well-known that Julia Hudson wanted out.
"Julia didn't want to deal with him because she started to see what kind of person he was," said Bennett. "Julia was already leaving him, and he got mad about that."
Watch as Balfour's mother, Michelle Davis, speaks out, pleading his innocence:
Meanwhile ...
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Jennifer Hudson
*Jennifer Hudson says she's honored to be a Grammy nominee. The Oscar-winning actress and singer, who has been in seclusion since the killings, was nominated Wednesday for four Grammy awards for her self-titled debut album.
"It's been a childhood dream of mine to release an album, so to receive four Grammy nominations is truly a blessing. I am extremely honored and humbled by the nominations," Hudson said in a statement.
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