‘I guess I’m done for a while’: Judge who texted court clerk ‘I won’t be in’ after murdering wife hugs son after he’s found guilty

A 74-year-old superior tribunal justice successful California was convicted of second-degree execution this week — pursuing a mistrial successful March — for murdering his woman successful their home aft a “drunken statement implicit money,” with prosecutors saying helium confessed to the fatal shooting successful a substance to his tribunal clerk and bailiff conscionable minutes aft the bloodshed.

Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson was recovered blameworthy Tuesday aft 7 hours of assemblage deliberations implicit 2 days, according to section ABC affiliate KABC.

Prosecutors announced his condemnation successful a press release and described however Ferguson was arrested successful August 2023 aft his 22-year-old son, Phillip Ferguson, called 911 and reported that his parent had been shot. Phillip said Ferguson opened occurrence connected his woman of 27 years, Sheryl Ferguson, 65, aft she told him, “Why don’t you constituent a existent weapon astatine me?”

The connection came aft Ferguson simulated pointing a weapon astatine her during an statement astatine dinner, portion they were astatine a adjacent Mexican restaurant.

“Instead of rendering assistance to his wife, Sheryl, aft shooting her arsenic they sat successful their surviving country watching television, Judge Jeffrey Ferguson, past 72, went extracurricular and texted his tribunal bailiff and clerk,” the Orange County District Attorney’s Office said Tuesday.

“I conscionable mislaid it. I conscionable changeable my wife,” Ferguson told his clerk and bailiff. “I won’t beryllium successful tomorrow. I volition beryllium successful custody. I’m truthful sorry.”

After his verdict was read, Ferguson reportedly asked support to hug and accidental goodbye to Phillip Ferguson.

“It’s OK,” helium told him, according to KABC. “Be strong.”

As previously reported by Law&Crime, Ferguson utilized a loaded .40 caliber pistol, which helium pulled from an ankle holster, to sprout his woman done the chest.

His lawyer, Paul Meyer, told Law&Crime earlier this twelvemonth that the incidental “was an mishap and thing more.”

Ferguson’s archetypal proceedings ended with jurors failing to scope a unanimous verdict. His lad testified astatine the 2nd proceedings and described however a rift implicit the paternity of his older member from years earlier had caused problems betwixt the couple. He besides recalled the infinitesimal helium recovered his mom.

“Next happening I did was I jumped implicit the borderline of the sofa to get the weapon from my dad,” Phillip Ferguson testified, according to the Daily Journal.

Describing his dad’s behaviour that nighttime aft the combat and however helium allegedly wanted to marque things right, Phillip said: “He wasn’t raising his dependable astatine her … helium was apologizing.”

More from Law&Crime: ‘I had orders’: Man killed dada aft combat implicit doing ‘dishes,’ told 911 helium enactment his begetter ‘out of his misery,’ constabulary say

When patrol officers made interaction with Ferguson, helium was inactive wearing the bare ankle holster and “he asked patrol officers to sprout him,” according to tribunal documents obtained by Law&Crime. “He slurred words and smelled of alcohol,” the documents said.

Ferguson was captured connected constabulary assemblage camera making obscenity-laced statements, including: “f— … f— … what the f— did I … well, I conjecture I’m done for a portion … s—.”

During a hunt of his home, constabulary recovered 47 guns — rifles, shotguns, and a handgun — and implicit 26,000 rounds of ammunition — each firearms helium legally owned.

Ferguson, a erstwhile subordinate of the U.S. Navy, started his ineligible vocation arsenic a lawman territory lawyer successful the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, wherever helium spent implicit 30 years. Until his arrest, Ferguson was assigned to grip preliminary proceeding felony calendar cases successful Orange County. He served arsenic a justice since 2015 and was antecedently named Prosecutor of the Year 4 times by the Orange County Narcotic Officers Association.

Love existent crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life transgression stories delivered close to your inbox.

Jason Kandel and Jerry Lambe contributed to this report.