Bail Denied For Balfour

By Marcus Gilmer on Dec 3, 2008 8:10PM

William Balfour was denied bail at a hearing today by Judge Raymond Myles. His attorney, Joshua Kutnick, claims there are no witnesses and no connection between Balfour and the murder weapon. Prosecutors presented arguments that included:

• Balfour told detectives that he was home at the time of the shootings, but cell phone records showed he was in the vicinity of the Hudson family home.

• Balfour told police that after he had earlier been to the Hudson home to talk with his estranged wife, he had taken a CTA "L" train to his West Side home. But CTA card records show that Balfour had last used the card two days before. Also, Balfour had claimed to have used a particular "L" station, but surveillance cameras showed he had not been there.

• Balfour denied having a gun, but multiple witnesses said they saw him with one or heard him say he had one. The gun used in the slayings had belonged to Jason Hudson and Balfour had taken it without permission from Hudson's bedroom over the summer, prosecutors said.

Balfour is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and one count of home invasion.