To the shock of many in the state, a California judge who once enforced the law now faces 40 years to life in prison after being convicted of murdering his wife.
Former Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson was found guilty of second-degree murder for shooting his wife during a drunken argument.
Ferguson, who served as a judge since 2015 and as a prosecutor since 1983, was convicted of killing his wife, Sheryl, during an argument at their home in 2023.
The verdict came after a second trial, as the first ended in a mistrial due to a hung jury.
The latest jury deliberated for about seven hours over two days, compared to more than 40 hours in the first trial.
Immediately after shooting his wife, Ferguson texted his clerk and bailiff: “I just lost it. I just shot my wife. I won’t be in tomorrow. I will be in custody. I’m so sorry.”
Prosecutors presented this message as a confession of guilt that contradicted his later claims of an accidental discharge.
The shooting occurred after the couple had been arguing over family finances during dinner at a restaurant with their son before continuing the argument at home.
According to court documents, Ferguson had been drinking heavily before the incident.
Their son witnessed the shooting, attempted to wrestle the gun away, and performed CPR on his mother in a desperate attempt to save her life.
Defense attorney Cameron Talley argued that the shooting was accidental, claiming Ferguson’s disabled shoulder made it impossible for him to have deliberately aimed and fired the weapon.
“This was not an accident. Ferguson was trained to never point a gun at anything he didn’t intend to destroy,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer.
Despite this defense, the prosecution’s case was bolstered by the discovery of 47 weapons and over 26,000 rounds of ammunition at Ferguson’s home, highlighting his extensive experience with firearms.
After the verdict was read, a heartbreaking scene unfolded as Ferguson embraced his son, telling him, “It’s OK. Be strong.”
“The one person in this entire situation that could have ensured that everybody was strong, remained strong, and could be strong, was Jeff Ferguson,” DA Spitzer declared.
“Jeff Ferguson took the life of Sheryl. He took her strength, he took her body, he took her will to live and crushed it,” he added.
Ferguson’s attorney continues to maintain his client’s innocence despite the verdict.
“I respect the jury’s verdict. At the same time, we all know that juries don’t always get it right… I still believe in Jeff,” Talley stated, who plans to appeal the conviction.
Ferguson has been free on $2 million bail since the shooting but was immediately taken into custody following the guilty verdict.
The judge was found guilty of one felony count of murder with enhancements for personal use of a firearm and discharge causing great bodily injury and death.
His sentencing is scheduled for June 14, where he faces 40 years to life in prison.
