LOS ANGELES, CA – A mistrial was declared Monday in the high-profile murder case of Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeff Ferguson, after a jury remained deadlocked following more than a week of deliberations over whether the 74-year-old jurist intentionally shot and killed his wife during a domestic dispute at their Anaheim Hills home last summer.
The panel reported an 11–1 split on the charge of second-degree murder, with the lone holdout preventing a unanimous verdict. The impasse followed extensive deliberations and several rounds of clarifying legal instructions from the court. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Eleanor Hunter officially declared the mistrial shortly after 11 a.m., bringing the proceedings to a halt and leaving open the possibility of a retrial.
The trial centered on the events of August 3, 2023, when Ferguson fatally shot his wife, 65-year-old Sheryl Ferguson, in their living room. The incident occurred just hours after the couple dined at a local restaurant, during what prosecutors described as a heated argument that carried over into their home. Ferguson’s adult son, present during the shooting, was reportedly the one who called 911.
When Anaheim Police officers arrived at the residence in the 8500 block of East Canyon Vista Drive, they found Sheryl Ferguson with a single gunshot wound to the chest. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Jeff Ferguson was arrested and initially held on $1 million bail, which was later revoked after prosecutors alleged he violated the conditions of release by consuming alcohol.
During a search of the couple’s home, investigators recovered 47 firearms and more than 26,000 rounds of ammunition. A .22 rifle was briefly unaccounted for, prompting concern from investigators, but was later found.
According to court filings, Ferguson sent a text message to his court clerk and bailiff just after the shooting that read: “I just lost it. I just shot my wife. I won’t be in tomorrow. I will be in custody. I’m so sorry.”
Senior Deputy District Attorney Seton Hunt argued that Ferguson’s actions met the threshold for second-degree murder under the legal doctrine of implied malice. Hunt told jurors that Ferguson, a trained attorney and firearms expert, knowingly handled a loaded weapon while intoxicated, and did so with a conscious disregard for human life.
“He takes out this gun while intoxicated and can’t be bothered to move some TV remotes aside,” Hunt said. “That is inherently dangerous to human life. He understands the risks and chooses to ignore them.”
Hunt likened the case to a repeat DUI offender causing a fatal crash, saying that Ferguson—who himself acknowledged the legal standard in DUI murder cases—compared his own situation to that of a drunk driver. “He views himself as that person,” Hunt argued.
Defense attorney Cameron Talley countered that the shooting was accidental. He told the jury Ferguson was attempting to place his .40 caliber pistol on a coffee table when he lost control of the weapon due to a severe shoulder injury. Ferguson, who testified in his own defense, claimed that a sharp pain caused him to fumble the gun, which discharged as he tried to regain control.
Talley said the act lacked the intent and recklessness required for a murder conviction. “This is not second-degree murder. This is a tragic accident,” he said, adding that the bullet’s trajectory and the lack of visible flash from the muzzle on the home surveillance footage supported their position.
Talley also pushed back on the prosecution’s assertion of criminal negligence, arguing that Ferguson never pointed the firearm at his wife and that his handling of the weapon was consistent with safety practices. “He was trying to put the gun down. He wasn’t brandishing it, he wasn’t threatening anyone,” Talley said.
As deliberations stalled, jurors signaled that they were struggling with the legal definition of implied malice and its application to the facts of the case. Judge Hunter allowed a brief round of supplemental arguments from both attorneys last week in hopes of clarifying the law. However, the effort failed to sway the holdout juror.
The jury had three options: convict Ferguson of second-degree murder, convict him of involuntary manslaughter, or acquit him entirely. Jurors were instructed they must unanimously reject the murder charge before considering the lesser offense of manslaughter.
Ferguson was charged with one count of murder, along with special allegations of personal use and discharge of a firearm causing great bodily injury or death. If convicted of all charges, he faces a maximum sentence of 40 years to life in state prison.
In a statement following the mistrial, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said, “Justice rests in the hands of 12 strangers who were taken from their everyday lives and given the immense responsibility to weigh the evidence and determine guilt or innocence. Although we are disappointed with the outcome, we will be reviewing the questions presented by the jury along with the facts as well as meeting with the victim’s family in order to make a decision in the coming weeks regarding this case.”
Spitzer added that his office remains available to meet with the family of Sheryl Ferguson, should they request it.
The court proceedings captured public attention due to Ferguson’s standing as a sitting judge in Orange County’s North Justice Center. He had previously served as a prosecutor with the Orange County District Attorney’s Office and was known for his work in gang prosecutions.
No date has been set for a decision on whether the District Attorney’s Office will pursue a retrial.
