LOS ANGELES (AP) – A Southern California judge charged with killing his wife during an argument pleaded not guilty to murder on Tuesday, and his lawyer said it was an accidental shooting.
Los Angeles (LA) Superior Court Judge Ricardo Ocampo ordered Orange county Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson, who appeared in court in a suit and tie, to surrender his passport, submit to searches, and wear monitoring devices for blood alcohol content and GPS as part of new bail conditions sought by prosecutors.
Ferguson, who is free on USD1 million bail, also is barred from possessing firearms. After the hearing, Ferguson’s lawyers told reporters the long-time judge and former prosecutor was confident a jury would agree with him that no crime was committed.
“This was an unintentional, accidental shooting and not a crime,” attorney Paul Meyer said.
The hearing was held in LA because Ferguson has been a judge hearing criminal cases in a courtroom about 40 kilometres to the southeast in Orange county.
The next hearing in Ferguson’s case was set for October 30.
The 72-year-old was arrested on August 3 at his home in the upscale neighbourhood of Anaheim Hills after police found his wife, Sheryl Ferguson, shot to death.
Prosecutors said in court filings that the couple had been arguing when he pulled a pistol from an ankle holster and shot her in the chest.
The couple’s adult son and Ferguson called 911, and Ferguson texted his court clerk and bailiff to say he had shot his wife, according to the filings.
He texted: “I just lost it. I just shot my wife. I won’t be in tomorrow. I will be in custody. I’m so sorry,” according to the filing.
