Jeffrey Ferguson, a former judge, is on trial for murdering his wife, Sheryl, after a night of heavy drinking. On August 3, 2023, he shot her in front of their son during an argument, admitting to the crime while in police custody. Despite having extensive firearm experience and a concealed-carry permit, Ferguson argues the shooting was accidental. At the time, he was notably intoxicated, with a blood-alcohol level of .17. His former role as a prosecutor adds a complex layer to the heart-wrenching circumstances of the case.
Sitting outside his Anaheim Hills home with his hands cuffed behind his back, Jeffrey Ferguson muttered and raged and sobbed. He bragged of past glories, of putting outlaws behind bars, and lamented that his son would now hate him forever.
The exchange, captured on the officer's body camera, was played for jurors this week in Orange County Superior Court in Santa Ana, where Ferguson, now 74, is standing trial on a charge of murder.
Ferguson, who was a longtime prosecutor before he was a judge, had a concealed-carry permit and "vast experience" with firearms, Orange County Deputy Dist. Atty. Seton Hunt told jurors in his opening statement.
At the time of the shooting, he said, Ferguson had a blood-alcohol level of .17, more than twice the legal driving limit, after drinking beer, rum and margaritas in the preceding hours.
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