Prosecutors open with Hudson at trial

Prosecutors open with Hudson at trial

CHICAGO

The trial of the man accused of killing Jennifer Hudson’s family opened with the marquee witness, as prosecutors put the award-winning actress and singer on the stand Monday for sometimes-tearful testimony that may well leave a lasting impression on jurors.

Hudson, wearing a simple, all-black dress, broke down at one point, stopping to dab her tears and regain her composure, as she testified just yards from her former brother-in-law, who prosecutors say killed her mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew in a horrific act of vindictiveness against Hudson’s sister four years ago.

To the surprise of many observers, Hudson, the 2004 “American Idol” finalist and 2007 Oscar winner for her role in “Dreamgirls,” was the first witness called after a prosecutor and defense attorney for William Balfour finished their opening statements.

Booby traps found on popular trail

SALT LAKE CITY

A deadly booby trap rigged along a popular Utah trail could have killed someone if they had tripped a ground wire set up to send a 20-pound, spiked boulder swinging into an unsuspecting hiker, authorities said Monday.

Another trap was designed to trip a passer-by into a bed of sharpened wooden stakes, authorities said.

Two men arrested over the weekend on suspicion of misdemeanor reckless endangerment told authorities the traps were intended for wildlife, but investigators didn’t believe the story.

The suspects built a dead-wood shelter as a possible lure for hikers who could step inside only through the two booby-trapped entrances, Utah County sheriff’s Sgt. Spencer Cannon said.

Ex-Edwards aide takes the stand

GREENSBORO, N.C.

Andrew Young was once much more than an aide to John Edwards.

The linchpin of the government’s criminal case against the ex-presidential candidate spent long hours driving to and from political events with the rising Democratic star. They attended college basketball games together to root for the Tar Heels and buddied around at Edwards’ beach house.

The former aide was the first witness called by federal prosecutors Monday after opening statements in Edwards’ criminal trial. Prosecutors allege that Edwards masterminded a conspiracy to use nearly $1 million in secret payments from two wealthy donors to help hide his pregnant mistress as he sought the White House in 2008.

N. Korea issues threat to South

PYONGYANG, North Korea

North Korea’s military warned Monday of imminent “special actions” that would reduce South Korea’s conservative government to ashes within minutes, sharply escalating the rhetoric against its southern rival.

The threat from the North’s military leadership comes amid concerns that North Korea may be plotting another provocation in the wake of an unsuccessful rocket launch condemned by the U.N. Security Council as a violation of a ban against missile activity.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned North Korea against “further provocative measures,” telling reporters in New York late Monday that such actions “will not be desirable for the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula.”

Associated Press