LOS ANGELES, CA – A mistrial was declared Monday in the murder case of Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeff Ferguson after jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict, ending more than a week of deliberations over whether the longtime jurist intentionally shot and killed his wife during a domestic dispute last summer.
The jury was split 11–1 on the charge of second-degree murder, unable to reach agreement despite multiple rounds of clarifying instructions from the court. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Eleanor Hunter formally declared the mistrial just after 11 a.m., leaving the case unresolved and opening the door to a possible retrial.
Street People learned that the case centered on the August 3, 2023, shooting of 65-year-old Sheryl Ferguson, who was killed in the couple’s Anaheim Hills home shortly after the two had dinner at a local restaurant. According to information reviewed by SP, the couple’s adult son was home at the time and placed the 911 call following the incident.
Responding officers found Sheryl Ferguson with a single gunshot wound to the chest. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Jeff Ferguson was arrested and initially released on $1 million bail, which was later revoked after prosecutors alleged he violated conditions of his release by drinking alcohol.
SP obtained court records showing that during a search of the home, authorities recovered 47 firearms and more than 26,000 rounds of ammunition. A .22-caliber rifle was briefly unaccounted for, raising concern among investigators, but was later located.
Prosecutors presented a text message Ferguson sent to court staff just after the shooting: “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 conduct met the threshold for implied malice—sufficient for a second-degree murder conviction. Hunt told jurors that Ferguson, a veteran prosecutor and sitting judge with knowledge of firearms law, acted with reckless disregard for human life by handling a loaded gun while intoxicated.
“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.”
According to insights uncovered by SP, the prosecution likened Ferguson’s conduct to that of a habitual drunk driver who causes a fatal crash—arguing that Ferguson was fully aware of the risks but acted anyway.
The defense, led by attorney Cameron Talley, maintained that the shooting was a tragic accident. Ferguson testified that he was trying to place his .40 caliber pistol on a coffee table when a sharp pain from a preexisting shoulder injury caused him to fumble the weapon. The gun discharged as he tried to regain control.
Talley contended there was no criminal intent or gross negligence, emphasizing that Ferguson never pointed the firearm at his wife and was not engaging in threatening behavior. “He was trying to put the gun down,” Talley told jurors. “This is not second-degree murder.”
SP reviewed trial transcripts indicating that jurors struggled with the concept of “implied malice” and how it applied to the facts. As deliberations dragged on, the court allowed attorneys to deliver supplemental arguments, but the jury remained deadlocked.
Jurors were instructed that they must unanimously agree to acquit Ferguson of second-degree murder before considering a lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter. The 11–1 split halted that process entirely.
Ferguson faced one count of murder and sentencing enhancements for personal use and discharge of a firearm causing great bodily injury or death. A conviction would have carried a maximum sentence of 40 years to life in state prison.
In a statement following the mistrial, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said, “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.”
No date has been set for a decision on whether the case will be retried. Ferguson, who previously served as a gang prosecutor before ascending to the bench, remains free pending further court proceedings.
