Victims' Right to a Speedy Trial: Shortcomings, Improvements, and Alternatives to Legislative Protection
![handle is hein.journals/wajlp41 and id is 189 raw text is: Victims' Right to a Speedy Trial:
Shortcomings, Improvements, and
Alternatives to Legislative Protection
Mary Beth Ricke*
I. INTRODUCTION
Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Critic's Choice Award, Golden
Globe Award, SAG Award, and Grammy Award winner Jennifer
Hudson is widely known as an actress, singer, and spokesperson after
being a finalist in the 2002 television hit American Idol.' However,
despite her fame and successful entertainment career, Hudson is not
immune to tragedy. In October 2008, Hudson's mother, brother, and
seven-year-old nephew were murdered in Chicago.2 The alleged
killer is William Balfour, the estranged husband of Hudson's sister.
The murders occurred in October 2008, Balfour was indicted in
December 2008 with his first court appearance in January 2009, and
while the trial was scheduled to begin in February 2012, it was
4
delayed until April 2012. Among other charges, the defendant was
finally found guilty on all three counts of murder in May 2012, with
* J.D. Candidate (2013), Washington University School of Law; B.A. (2010), Rhodes
College. I would like to thank Catherine Vannier and the Missouri Office of Prosecution
Services, and all of the editors on the Washington University Journal of Law & Policy.
1. Biography for Jennifer Hudson, IMDB, http://www.imdb.com/name/nml617685/bio
(last visited Dec. 24, 2012). Winners! A Complete List from the 2009 Grammys, E! ONLINE,
http://www.eonline.com/news/98902/winners-a-complete-list-from-the-2009-grammys (last visited
Dec. 24, 2012).
2. Jennifer Hudson's Family Murder Trial: Alleged Killer's Lawyers Want to Talk to
Star, HUFFTNGTON POST (Feb. 8, 2012, 10:55 AM), http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/
08/jennifer-hudsons-family-m n 1262437.html.
3. Id.
4. Caitlin Fry, Jennifer Hudson s Murder Trail [sic] is Further Delayed, RUNNING LIP
(Jan. 19, 2012, 10:56 PM), http://runninglip.com/celebrity/2012/01/jennifer-hudsons-family-
murder-trail-is-further-delayed/.
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Victims' Right to a Speedy Trial: Shortcomings, Improvements, and Alternatives to Legislative Protection
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