THE ANGELS – A judge Southern California man accused of killing his wife during an argument while drunk will appear on Tuesday before a court.
Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson, who is out on $1 million bail, is scheduled to appear in Los Angeles court on murder charges. The hearing was scheduled there because Ferguson was a criminal trial judge in a court about 25 miles (40 kilometers) to the southeast in Orange County.
Ferguson, 72, was arrested Aug. 3 at his home in the upscale Anaheim Hills neighborhood after police found his wife, Sheryl Ferguson, shot to death. Prosecutors said in court documents that the couple were arguing and the judge was drinking when he pulled a handgun from an ankle holster and shot her in the chest. The couple’s adult son and Ferguson called 911, and Ferguson sent a text message to his court clerk and the sheriff to say that he had shot his wife, according to the records.
He sent a message: “I just lost my mind. I just shot my wife. I won’t be tomorrow. I will be in custody. I’m so sorry,” according to the file.
Prosecutors said they are seeking new bail terms for Ferguson to protect public safety and ensure he does not flee after authorities found 47 weapons, including the handgun used in the shooting, and more than 26,000 rounds of ammunition at his home. They say the guns are legally owned, but a rifle registered to him is still missing.
They want you to hand over your passport, wear an ankle monitor, and not possess firearms or drink alcohol.
Ferguson’s lawyers have said it was an accident and a tragedy for the family.
The arrest shocked the Southern California legal community and authorities have been debating how the case should be handled. The Orange County prosecutor’s office – a group of cities with more than three million inhabitants – asked state authorities to rule on the existence of a conflict before filing charges last week.
FOUNTAIN: With information from AP
