Grieving Hudson sets up fund for victims

Reuters

COPING WITH TRAGEDY: Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson and her family have created a foundation for relatives of murder victims.

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Jennifer Hudson is setting up a foundation for families of murder victims.

The Oscar-winning actress and her family have created The Hudson-King Foundation for Families of Slain Victims, set up in honour of Jennifer's mother Darnell Donerson, brother Jason Hudson and seven-year-old nephew Julian King, who were all fatally shot last week.

A statement explained: "The specific purpose of the foundation is to care for the needs of families who have lost relatives to a violent crime. This encompasses their basic needs of food, clothing and shelter as well as grief counselling."

The news follows a prayer vigil for the victims at Chicago's Pleasant Gift Missionary Baptist Church.

Reverend Jesse Jackson, a close friend of the family, said: "They are all overwhelmed by the suddenness and the unexpectedness of it all. This family knows triumph, and they also know tragedy."

It has also been revealed William Balfour, the estranged husband of Jennifer's sister Julia – who has been named a "person of interest" in the case and is currently being questioned by police about the triple homicide – had a huge argument with Julia, Darnell and Jason a month before the tragedy.

A source, who referred to William by his nickname of ‘Flex', said: "Flex tried to start a fistfight with Jason, and James Peyton, Jennifer's ex-fiance, beat up Flex. Flex then began to threaten the family, saying he would kill Julia and mess up everyone in the house.

"Flex was crazy, but Jason never took him seriously. Jason always thought he would be safe, that he could protect himself."

Darnell, Jason and Julian will be laid to rest by the rest of the Hudson family in a private memorial service on Monday in Chicago's Apostolic Church of God.

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