Oscar-Award-winning actress Jennifer Hudson’s brother-in-law pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges he shot to death her mother and brother and the 7-year-old nephew. Twenty-seven-year-old William Balfour, who is married to Jennifer Hudson’s sister, Julia Hudson, is charged with killing his sisters’ mother, Darnell Donerson, their brother, Jason Hudson, and Julia Hudson’s 7-year-old son, Julian King. Read the rest here.

 Rapper DMX, shackled and garbed in true jailbird attire in an Arizona courtroom Tuesday, pleaded guilty to animal cruelty, theft and drug possession. The 38-year-old rapper (whose real name is Earl Simmons) sat quietly in his Black-and-white-striped prison uniform as the official charges were read into the record: one misdemeanor count of animal cruelty, one felony count of theft, and one count each of felony possession of marijuana and a narcotic drug. If the case had gone to trial and Simmons had been convicted, he would now be looking at a possible 10-year sentence. Under Tuesday’s plea deal, he is expected to get the minimum 90-day jail sentence, plus probation. The agreement precludes him from owning any animals and possessing any weapons; in addition, he is required to attend an animal-offender treatment program. Violating probation could have him looking again at those 10 years. DMX’s albums include “It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot” and “Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood” and “Year of the Dog … Again.”

Detroit mayor’s former lover pleads guilty. Silent through months of a sex scandal, the woman whose relationship brought down former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick broke her silence Monday, according to the Sun News Service. She shed tears as she pleaded guilty, the news service reports. Christine Beatty, a former aide to Kilpatrick, accepted a four-month jail sentence on obstruction of justice charges for her part in a lawsuit brought by two police officers, according to the news service. Beatty’s jail sentence will begin Jan. 5. With credit for good behavior, she could be free in about 100 days.