A mistrial was declared Monday in the trial against a California Superior Court judge accused of killing his wife after an Orange County jury failed to reach a verdict in the case.
Jeffrey Ferguson was charged in the Aug. 3, 2023, killing of his 65-year-old wife, Sheryl Ferguson, in their Anaheim, California, home. The couple’s son reported the shooting to authorities, and Ferguson was arrested the same night.
The 74-year-old man, who pleaded not guilty in the case, admitted to shooting his wife. But he argued during the trial that shocked the Southern California community that it was an accident, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Jurors deliberated for eight days. They were divided 11 to 1 in favor of convicting Ferguson on second-degree murder charges but said they ultimately could not come to a consensus.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Eleanor J. Hunter declared a mistrial in the case – but that doesn’t mean the it’s necessarily over for Ferguson.
What happened during the trial?
Prosecutors accused Ferguson of intentionally killing his wife after losing his temper during a drunken argument. They pointed Ferguson’s blood alcohol level at the time, which was allegedly twice the legal limit at the time of his wife’s death.
During testimony, Ferguson said he was placing his gun on a coffee table at the request of his wife when a pain in his right arm caused him to accidentally fire the weapon, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Ferguson said during the trial he and his wife had been fighting over money they had sent to his grown son from a previous marriage, according to the Times.
What happens next?
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said his office is prepared to retry the case. Prosecutors are looking at a start date of April 7 or May 19 for a new trial against Ferguson. If convicted of second-degree murder, he could face between 40 years and life in prison.
But that’s not necessarily what Sheryl Ferguson’s family wants. In a press conference after the trial, Sheryl Ferguson’s youngest brother, Larry Rosen, said he was “temporarily happy” with the results and said his family didn’t believe Ferguson intentionally killed his sister.
“I personally, on behalf of the family, would like to share that all of us do not believe that Jeff Ferguson committed murder,” Rosen said.
Cameron Talley, Ferguson’s attorney, said he’s hopeful he can craft an agreement with prosecutors based on Ferguson’s age and the support he’s received from his wife’s brother, according to the Associated Press.
Spitzer said his office respected the viewpoints of Sheryl Ferguson’s family but believed there was “overwhelming” evidence to show Jeffrey Ferguson’s intent to kill his wife.
“Eleven to one is a success in the world in which we operate,” Spitzer told reporters. “She died in cold blood, and we’re going to get justice to the best of our ability.”
