Jennifer Hudson Granted Protective Order Against Ex-Fiancé

CHICAGO, IL — Singer and actress Jennifer Hudson received a protective order against former fiancé David Otunga after the couple broke off their engagment, ending their 10-year relationship, according to People magazine. A representative for Hudson told People in a statment that the South Side native's request for the order, which was granted by a Cook County judge Thursday, was done so with "the best interest of [the couple's] son" in mind. Hudson and Otunga have an 8-year-old boy, David Daniel Otunga Jr.

Although Hudson's represntative did not go into specifics about why "The Voice" judge took such an action, Otunga's lawyer, Tracy Rizzo, told People that her client hasn't done anything to his ex-fiancée or their son to warrant the order.

"Mr. Otunga has never abused or harassed Ms. Hudson or their son, and it is unfortunate, especially in today’s climate, that she would feel the need to make these false allegations against him," Rizzo said in a statement to People.

Rizzo, instead, accused Hudson of using the protective order as a tactic in the couple's custody battle over their son.

"[W]hen it became apparent to Ms. Hudson that Mr. Otunga would be the parent granted residential care of the child, as a result of Mr. Otunga being the child’s primary caregiver while Ms. Hudson pursues her career all over the world, Ms. Hudson decided to file a meritless Petition for Order of Protection in an effort to gain an unfair advantage in the custody dispute,”

After dating for a little more than six months, Hudson, 36, and Otunga, 37, became engaged in 2008 on the "American Idol" contestant's 27th birthday. A Harvard law grad who went from being an attorney to being a professional wrestler, Otunga told Wendy Williams on her show in 2012 that it was Hudson who initially pursued a relationship after seeing the Elgin native on the VH1 dating competition show "I Love New York 2."

Tragedy, however, struck Hudson and her family a month after her engagement. The Academy Award-winning performer's mother, Darnell Donerson, 57; her brother, Jason Hudson, 29; and her nephew, Julian King, 7, were murdered by her former brother-in-law, William Balfour. He was convicted of the killings in 2012 and is serving three consecutive life sentences at Pontiac Correctional Center, a facility that is about 100 miles southwest of Chicago.

In an Ebony interview that same year, Hudson said Otunga was responsible for keeping her away from Chicago the day of the murders, something that possibly saved her life.

"[Otunga] wanted me to come out to Florida with him instead of going to Chicago," Hudson told the magazine. "I flew out to see him; that’s why I’m still here. That's one of the things that saved my life. Because I could have been home with my mom then. I’ve never said that before, and I can’t believe I just said that now."

WATCH: David Otunga, Jennifer Hudson's former fiancé, talks to Wendy Williams about meeting the Oscar-winning actress and how he inadvertenly saved her life.

More via People magazine

Jennifer Hudson and ex-fiancé David Otunga in December of 2016. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan | Invision | Associated Press)