Funeral for Jennifer Hudson's family

Arts and Culture

Mourners arrived for the funeral of Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson's family at the Apostolic Church of God in Chicago on Monday Nov. 3, 2008. Hudson's mother, Darnell Donerson, brother Jason Hudson, and nephew Julian King were killed last week in Chicago.

Police are present as the public waits for entry to the funeral of Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson's family at the Apostolic Church of God in Chicago on Monday Nov. 3, 2008. Hudson's mother, Darnell Donerson, brother Jason Hudson, and nephew Julian King were killed last week on the southside of Chicago

Unidentified mourners arrive for the private funeral service.

The services for 57-year-old Darnell Hudson Donerson, 29-year-old Jason Hudson and 7-year-old Julian King follow a public memorial Sunday.

Three hearses carry the family members. Police directed traffic Monday morning around the Apostolic Church of God as hearses and limousines arrived. Spectators were kept across the street and away from attendees.

Plastic covered a tall gated fence in back of the large church, blocking the public from seeing a small rear courtyard entrance.

The three were shot late last month. No one is charged although authorities call the boy's estranged stepfather a "person of interest."

The casket carrying the body of Julian King passes a hearse covered with flowers after the funeral. Small blue tickets that read "Hudson Family Funeral" were needed to enter the massive Apostolic Church of God, but that didn't deter crowds of onlookers who gathered outside.

The Rev. Jese Jackson, second from top left, watches as a casket of a family member is carried past mourners.

The casket carrying the body of Julian King is placed on a horse drawn wagon. The bodies of Hudson's mother and brother were discovered Oct. 24 at the family's home. Julian's body was found three days later in a sport utility vehicle on the city's West Side.

Police arrested Julia Hudson's estranged husband, 27-year-old William Balfour, the same day the bodies of Donerson and Hudson were discovered. After 48 hours -the longest Chicago police can hold a person without charges - Balfour was taken by the Illinois Department of Corrections on a parole violation. Balfour had served seven years for a 1999 attempted murder and vehicular hijacking conviction.

Two men embrace after attending the funeral.

Shenika Bowers, 35, of Chicago was one of several dozen people who stood outside the church in hopes of sharing sympathies with the Jennifer Hudson, who she did not see entering the church Monday. "She needs us right now," Bowers said of Hudson. "She needs support from everyone who she can get it from. I cannot imagine how she feels but I do feel for her."

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Police are present as the public waits for entry to the funeral of Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson's family at the Apostolic Church of God in Chicago on Monday Nov. 3, 2008. Hudson's mother, Darnell Donerson, brother Jason Hudson, and nephew Julian King were killed last week on the southside of Chicago

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