Former Orange County judge sentenced to 35 years to life in prison for wife's murder

SANTA ANA, Calif. (KABC) -- A former Orange County Superior Court judge was sentenced Wednesday to 35 years to life in prison for shooting his 65-year-old wife to death during an argument in their Anaheim Hills home in 2023.

The first trial against 74-year-old Jeffrey Ferguson ended in a mistrial after the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict. His second trial ended earlier this year when the jury found him guilty of second-degree murder.

"There's nothing I know that I can ever say or do that will repair for Kevin, my son, this family tragedy," said Ferguson during his sentencing. "Sheryl had a great and generous heart, and I do want to say to them ... I wish God had taken me instead."

Before he was taken into custody, Jeffrey Ferguson whispered into his son's ear, "It's OK. Be strong." The two were allowed to hug before he was taken into custody.

Before Wednesday's sentencing, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Eleanor Hunter, who was brought in to oversee the trial because of Ferguson's position on the Orange County bench, denied a motion for a new trial from the defendant's co-counsel, Frances Prizzia.

Prizzia had argued that her client should get a new trial because Hunter denied a delay in the retrial so an expert witness, forensic psychologist Lisa Grajewski, could be available to testify as she did in the first trial.

That led to defense attorneys having to rely on a "last-minute expert," Prizzia said.

"The court's ruling that the defense could only present evidence by one firearms expert prevented the defense from presenting crucial evidence supporting its theory that the shooting was accidental rather than an intentional act or one committed with malice," Prizzia said.

A mistrial in the first trial was declared March 10. Opening statements in the next trial were held April 14.

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer praised Hunter for fast-tracking a retrial within a month.

"Jeff Ferguson took the life of Sheryl. He took her strength, he took her body, he took her will to live and crushed it," Spitzer said.

Defense attorney Cameron Talley told Hunter he wasn't ready for a retrial, pointing out he lost his original co-counsel and had just received transcripts from the original trial, among other reasons. Prizzia was co-counsel for Talley in the retrial.

Hunter criticized Ferguson multiple times in court for doing television news interviews following the mistrial.

An Orange County Superior Court judge accused of fatally shooting his wife in their Anaheim Hills home is speaking out after a mistrial was declared.

Talley defended his client, saying Ferguson just wanted the public to know he loved his wife.

The defendant's son, Phillip Ferguson, was there for the shooting and a key witness in the trials.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Seton Hunt previously said this is not a complicated case. "This is not a sophisticated act," he said.

Six weeks after the first murder trial, a new jury deliberated whether Ferguson intended to shoot and kill his wife, Sheryl Ferguson.

"This is a domestic dispute. He was angry. He was upset. He was intoxicated," Hunt said. "Ladies and gentlemen, don't be distracted."

After the shooting, the couple's then-22-year-old son tackled his father to wrestle the gun away and performed CPR on his mother.

During closing arguments, Hunt said this case is straightforward.

"He pulls out his firearm, and he shoots it and kills her. That is not complicated," Hunt said. "It wouldn't make a particularly interesting movie, but it's very sad and all too familiar. Domestic dispute resulting in death. That's what this case is."

However, Talley asked jurors to use "common sense." He said this case is not that simple. Talley argued the shooting was an accident.

He claimed Ferguson removed a gun from an ankle holster and was trying to place it on a coffee table in their living room when his disabled shoulder gave out.

Ferguson fumbled the gun, and it went off, fatally shooting Sheryl, according to Talley. They also claimed he was an alcoholic.

"He killed her. It doesn't mean it was on purpose, it doesn't mean it was murder, it doesn't mean it was a crime," Talley said.

The prosecution said Ferguson is an experienced gun owner and meant to kill his wife.

After the shooting, he texted his clerk and bailiff, saying, "I lost it. I just shot my wife. I won't be in tomorrow. I will be in custody. I'm so sorry."

Hunt argued the text was a confession.

City News Service contributed to this report.