A former California judge who shot his wife during a drunken argument was sentenced to 35 years in prison, despite his requests to avoid prison while appealing the case.
Jeffrey Ferguson, 74, was an Orange County Superior Court Judge when he shot his wife, 65-year-old Sheryl in 2023, during a drunken argument over money. According to prosecutors, after the shooting, Ferguson texted his court bailiff and clerk, telling them, "I just lost it. I just shot my wife. I won't be in tomorrow. I will be in custody. I'm so sorry."
In sentencing Ferguson, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Eleanor J. Hunter noted that "Mr. Ferguson believes the rules just do not apply to him," NBC News reported.
Before the sentencing, Ferguson's lawyers asked if he could remain free pending the outcome of an appeal, or whether he could at least stay in the Orange County Jail rather than prison so that he could be near his lawyers, Law & Crime reported.
"There's been nothing to demonstrate as to why, in this case, I should make that exception to the general rule that when you're sentenced to state prison, you go to state prison," Hunter said, according to Law & Crime.
Ferguson was convicted in April of second-degree murder after the first trial had ended in a mistrial.
After shooting his wife, prosecutors said the couple's 22-year-old son tackled Ferguson, wrestled the gun away, and began performing CPR. Earlier in the evening Ferguson had become intoxicated at a Mexican restaurant. During an argument at dinner, Ferguson had simulated pointing a gun at his wife using his fingers. When the couple returned home, the argument continued, and just before the shooting, Sheryl said, "Why don't you point a real gun at me?"
"The second he pulled the trigger and killed his wife Judge Jeffrey Ferguson knew he was just like the violent criminals he has sent to prison and left his son to desperately try to pump the life into his dying mother's body while he went outside to text his friends," said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. "This was not an accident. Ferguson was trained to never point a gun at anything he didn't intend to destroy."
Inside the home, police recovered 48 weapons – including rifles, shotguns, and handguns, and more than 26,000 rounds of ammunition.
