A former Orange County Superior Court judge in California received his sentencing earlier this week for the 2023 fatal shooting of his wife.
On Wednesday, 74-year-old Jeffrey Ferguson received a sentence of 35 years to life after being convicted earlier this year for the second-degree murder of his wife.
This marked Ferguson’s second trial, which followed a mistrial in the first when jurors failed to reach a unanimous decision, according to ABC 7.
According to a report by CrimeOnline, police were called to a residence on East Canyon Vista Drive in Orange County around 8 p.m. on August 3, 2023, where they discovered a woman with a fatal gunshot wound. The victim was identified as Sheryl Ferguson, who was the wife of Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson, then 72 years old.
Jeffrey Ferguson shot his wife in the chest after they returned home from a restaurant, where they had been arguing.
An affidavit revealed that during a heated argument, Sheryl Ferguson challenged her husband to “point a real gun at me,” prompting him to pull a pistol from an ankle holster and shoot her.
Police confirmed that Sheryl Ferguson was deceased upon their arrival, and subsequently arrested Jeffrey Ferguson.
As stated by KNBC, Ferguson sent a text to his court staff that read, “I just lost it. I just shot my wife. I won’t be in tomorrow. I will be in custody. I’m so sorry.”
The couple’s adult son called 911, telling dispatchers that his father, who had been drinking excessively, shot his mother.
Upon arrival, officers reported that Ferguson said, “Oh man, I can’t believe I did this.”
Susan Kang, who was the former chief of staff for Orange County’s district attorney and had known the couple for over two decades, commented on the incident, expressing that Ferguson always appeared to be a loving husband and father.
“I have always known Jeff to be someone who was devoted to his wife and his sons,” Kang previously told the Los Angeles Times.
“They were at my house for dinner just the other night. Hearing about Jeff’s arrest for Sheryl’s murder was unbelievable. I can’t comprehend it. My heart aches, especially for Phillip.”
ABC 7 reported that before Wednesday’s sentencing, Prizzia requested a new trial, which Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Eleanor Hunter denied. Prizzia argued for a new trial based on the court’s previous refusal to delay proceedings.
The requested delay would have allowed forensic psychologist Lisa Grajewski, who testified in the first trial, to be available for the retrial.
Prizzia stated that the court’s decision forced the defense to rely on a “last-minute expert.”
“The court’s ruling that the defense could only present evidence from one firearms expert limited our ability to present crucial evidence supporting our theory that the shooting was accidental,” Prizzia said.
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer appreciated Judge Hunter for fast-tracking the retrial within a month of the mistrial.
During his sentencing, Ferguson made a statement, saying, “There’s nothing I can ever say or do to repair this family tragedy for Kevin, my son.” He added, “Sheryl had a great and generous heart, and I wish God had taken me instead.”
[Feature Photo: Jeffrey Ferguson/Anaheim Police Department and Investigators remove firearms from the Ferguson home/Paul Bersebach/The Orange County Register via AP]
