In the case of Southern California Judge Judge Jeffrey Ferguson, after more than a week of deliberation, the false statement was declared accused of fatally shooting his wife in 2023.
The Los Angeles Superior Court ruled when one of the 12 ju umpires found Ferguson was guilty of murdering his wife, Cheryl Ferguson, and forced the ju umpire to an 11-1 deadlock. Report.
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said the prosecutors are “ready to try again” the case.
“11-1 is an incredible success for a guilty conviction,” Spitzer said.
Members of Spitzer's office plan to meet with Cheryl Ferguson's family in the near future to determine a course of action.
“She died of cold blood and we intend to make the most of our abilities and get justice,” he said.
Jeffrey Ferguson's lawyer, Cameron Tully, said he hopes prosecutors will not pursue a retrial given the judge's age, and believes “the evidence shows that he is not intentionally going to kill anyone.”
Larry Rosen, Cheryl Ferguson's brother, was pleased with the verdict and told reporters Monday that he believed the shooting was an accident.
“For me, that shows that the ju-describers are at the same level as me, to a certain extent,” Rosen said. “I don't think murder is the right call. I really don't.”
Ferguson, 74, is accused of shooting his 27-year-old wife on August 3, 2023 at his Anaheim Hills home in Orange County.
The couple went out for dinner and had been drinking with their adult son, Philip Ferguson, from their previous marriage. Cheryl, 65, was pissed off by the lack of gratitude his son gave them for the financial support the couple had provided him.
After returning to their home in Anaheim Hills in Orange County, the couple continued to discuss while watching the hit crime series Breaking Bad.
His wife then dared him to point her gun at her during the hot exchange. Ferguson then pulled a loaded gun from an ankle holster and fatally shot his wife while her adult son was watching, prosecutors said.
The judge and Philip both called 911, but Ferguson also texted the court clerk and enforcement officer shortly after the shooting.
“I lost it. I just shot my wife,” he said. “I won't have tomorrow. I'm going to be detained. Sorry.”
The judge then told the responding officer who said he had taken the alcohol when he arrived at the scene, “I can't believe I did this.”
Investigators discovered 47 weapons, including a pistol allegedly used in the shooting, as well as more than 26,000 rounds of ammunition inside the couple's home.
He was taken into custody and released a day after posting a $1 million bail, but was later jailed for violating parole by drinking alcohol. He was again released on $2 million bail.
“I had no intention of killing her,” Ferguson said at trial.
In a closing statement, prosecutors said he was drunk with Ferguson, a courtroom who began his legal career as an associate district attorney in Orange County in 1983, and used a hidden carry gun to shoot her during discussions with his wife.
“We don't claim he planned this crime,” said Senior Assistant District Attorney Seton Hunt. “The facts don't support that, but I support that he intended to kill.”
Ferguson's blood alcohol level was 0.065% when it took several hours after shooting his wife, but experts testified at about .17% when shooting, Hunt said. NBC Los Angeles.
Ferguson also told the court that he had two or three drinks after returning home from work several nights a week, and when asked by his lawyer, Cameron J. Tully, if he had alcohol at his desk as he was an alcoholic, he replied “Yes.”
With post wire
