Police arrested the estranged brother-in-law of Jennifer Hudson on Monday in the deaths of the entertainer’s mother, brother and young nephew, taking him from a prison where he had been held on a suspected parole violation.

William Balfour was arrested at Stateville Correctional Center and released to detectives as he awaited formal charges in the shooting deaths of the singer and Oscar-winning actress’ relatives, said Chicago police spokeswoman Monique Bond.

Until Monday, police had identified Balfour, 27, only as a “person of interest” in the investigation. He had not been charged by late Monday afternoon, said Andy Conklin, a spokesman for the Cook County state’s attorney’s office.

The bodies of Jennifer Hudson’s mother, Darnell Hudson Donerson, and brother, Jason Hudson, were discovered Oct. 24 at the family’s home on the South Side of Chicago. The body of 7-year-old Julian King was found three days later in a sport utility vehicle on the West Side. All three had been shot.

Police took Balfour into custody 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 the suspected parole violation.

Balfour — Julian’s stepfather and the estranged husband of Jennifer Hudson’s older sister, Julia Hudson — served seven years for a 1999 attempted murder and vehicular hijacking conviction.

His mother, Michelle Balfour of Chicago, has denied that her son had anything to do with the deaths. Telephone numbers for Balfour’s mother and sister were disconnected Monday.

Balfour had refused to take a lie-detector test and stopped cooperating with detectives in the case, a police official, who was not authorized to discuss the case publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, has said.

Police have confirmed they found the gun used in the killings. The .45-caliber gun was discovered Oct. 29 in a vacant lot in the West Side neighborhood where the King’s body was found a few days earlier.

Bond declined to discuss any evidence Monday. But after a hearing at the prison, the chairman of the Illinois Prisoner Review Board said a woman had told authorities that a gun used in the slayings was “identical” to the gun that was recovered.

At the time, board Chairman Jorge Montes said the evidence was key to a decision finding probable cause that Balfour violated his parole and should remain locked up pending a Dec. 3 hearing before a review board panel.

Balfour did not have an attorney at the November hearing, and the Cook County public defender’s office said at the time that nobody from the office had been assigned because he was not formally charged with a crime.

No one in the public defender’s office was assigned to Balfour’s case late Monday, and it’ was not clear whether he had other representation.

Not only is she France’s First Lady, but Carla Bruni-Sarkozy is also a vehement fighter in the fight against AIDS, due in part to her brother Virginio Bruni-Tedeschi’s death two years ago.

The model-turned-singer was spotted at a press conference held at the Hotel Marigny in Paris, France earlier today.  She chose today as the launch of her new mission because it is World AIDS Day.

“I dragged Amy into it, and without me there is no doubt that she would never have gone down that road,” Fielder-Civil said to News of the World. “I ruined something beautiful.”

Blake was on a role during the interview, saying all of the right things. He not only takes responsibility for his role in Amy’s downfall, but he even says he’d be willing to sacrifice himself for her good.

“Now I have to let her go to save her life. I am not abandoning her. I am doing this out of love,” he said. “I have had to live with that for the past year that I have been in prison and I have got so much remorse.”

Blake recounted that when he met Amy, the only drug she’d indulged in was marijuana. It was with his tutelage that the Brit singer began to experiment with progressively worse drugs. Eventually, her entire career and her health were threatened by her drug use.

“It was heartbreaking seeing someone you love more than yourself, someone you would die for, someone you would kill for, on the floor shaking,” he said.

Amy has kept her distance from Blake since his release from jail. Blake says that’s his fault too.

“If it wasn’t for drugs, me and Amy would be so happy. Just without that in our lives — without crack and without heroin — Amy would be making beautiful music,” he said.

It’s always a good sign when a guy takes his gal home to hang with his family.  And over the holiday weekend, Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel were spotted all over Memphis, Tennessee, Justin’s hometown.

On Saturday afternoon (November 29), the “SexyBack” singer and his “7th Heaven” hottie took Jess’ pitbull Tina out for some fresh air and exercise at a local park, playing fetch and snapping photos all the while.

For two people who are trying to deny a romance, these two have been repeatedly spotted together over the past week.  This time singer Madonna and Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez were seen in Mexico City.

The rumors about Madonna and A-Rod spending Thanksgiving together were half true.  They did end up spending time together in Miami after Alex met his family obligations and had dinner with his ex-wife and young children.

The Associated Press said that when Alex was asked what he thought about the coincidence of he and the Material Girl being in the same foreign city at the same time,  his replied “very good.”

Madonna and Guy Ritchie have completed their divorce negotiations and things were finalized a few days ago.  Speaking about ex-husband’s, Madonna was also recently spotted having drinks in Manhattan with her first husband Sean Penn.

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Speaking on her MTV documentary, Britney: For The Record, the singer - who has two children with ex-husband Kevin Federline - says she is planning to have more kids and find the "the man of my dreams."

She said, "I'm going to write the man of my dreams on my arm.

"I'm going to get married next year and have babies. Watch!

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The Toxic singer - who has been under the conservatorship of her father, Jamie, since her highly-publicized breakdown earlier this year - says she has found 2008 difficult.

She tells the new issue of Glamour magazine, "The whole year has been a hell of a year for me.

"I didn't know exactly where I stood with everyone."

Spears also credits making her new album, Circus, with helping her get back on track.

She adds, "Recording this album has helped take my mind off certain things.

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