A former Orange County Superior Court judge has been convicted of second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of his 65-year-old wife, after a second trial concluded Tuesday with a guilty verdict. Jeffrey Ferguson, age 74, who had served on the bench since 2015 and as a prosecutor beginning in 1983, now faces up to 40 years to life in prison, as reported by ABC7.
The conviction comes following a previous trial that ended in a mistrial due to a hung jury. The second jury reached a decision swiftly, deliberating for approximately seven hours over two days. Conversely, the first jury had spent more than 40 hours in deliberations over nine days, which ultimately resulted in an 11 to one deadlocked jury. The Orange County District Attorney's Office stated the judge used a firearm from his ankle holster and shot his wife, Sheryl, during an argument in their Anaheim Hills home back in August 2023.
After the trial, Ferguson asked to embrace his son, which was granted. He advised his son to "Be strong" during their emotional courtroom moment, ABC7 documents. The case brought forward by the prosecution argued that Ferguson, an experienced gun owner, had intended to murder his wife. This assertion was reinforced by a text message Ferguson sent after the shooting, which read, "I lost it. I just shot my wife. I won't be in tomorrow. I will be in custody. I'm so sorry."
The defense attorneys claimed the shooting was accidental, alleging that Ferguson, who has a disabled shoulder, fumbled the weapon while trying to place it on a coffee table, resulting in the accidental discharge. After the guilty verdict was issued, the defense indicated plans to appeal, while the D.A.'s office has extended their sympathies to Ferguson's son, emphasizing that he was merely a witness to this domestic violence incident. Senior Deputy District Attorney Seton Hunt simplified the case, saying, "He pulls out his firearm, and he shoots it and kills her. That is not complicated," the ABC7 reported.
Ferguson is slated for sentencing on June 13. In the aftermath of the shooting and Ferguson's arrest, the Anaheim Police Department seized 48 firearms and over 26,000 rounds of ammunition from his home, according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office.
