California judge pleads not guilty to murder in wife’s death

LOS ANGELES — A Southern California choose charged with killing his spouse throughout an argument whereas he was drunk pleaded not responsible Tuesday, and his lawyer says it was an “unintentional capturing.”

Los Angeles Superior Courtroom Decide Ricardo Ocampo ordered Orange County Superior Courtroom Decide Jeffrey Ferguson, who appeared in court docket in a go well with and tie, to give up his passport, undergo searches, and put on monitoring gadgets for blood alcohol content material and GPS as a part of new bail circumstances sought by prosecutors. Ferguson, who’s free on $1 million bail, is also barred from possessing firearms and alcohol and frequenting locations reminiscent of bars and liquor shops.

After the listening to, Ferguson’s legal professionals informed reporters the long-time choose and former prosecutor was assured a jury would agree with him that no crime was dedicated.

“This was an unintentional, unintentional capturing and never a criminal offense,” legal professional Paul Meyer mentioned.

The listening to was held in Los Angeles as a result of Ferguson has been a choose listening to legal circumstances in a courtroom about 25 miles (40 kilometers) to the southeast in Orange County. The following listening to in Ferguson’s case was set for Oct. 30.

The 72-year-old was arrested on Aug. 3 at his residence within the upscale neighborhood of Anaheim Hills after police discovered his spouse, Sheryl Ferguson, shot to dying. Prosecutors mentioned in court docket filings that the couple had been arguing and the choose was ingesting when he pulled a pistol from an ankle holster and shot her within the chest. The couple’s grownup son and Ferguson known as 911, and Ferguson texted his court docket clerk and bailiff to say he had shot his spouse, in accordance with the filings.

He texted: “I simply misplaced it. I simply shot my spouse. I gained’t be in tomorrow. I shall be in custody. I’m so sorry,” in accordance with the submitting.

Prosecutors argued the brand new bail circumstances shield public security and guarantee Ferguson doesn’t flee after authorities discovered 47 weapons, together with the pistol used within the capturing, and greater than 26,000 rounds of ammunition at his residence. They are saying the weapons are legally owned however a rifle registered in his identify remains to be lacking.

The arrest shocked the Southern California authorized group and officers have been grappling with how the case ought to be dealt with. The district legal professional’s workplace in Orange County — a cluster of cities which are collectively residence to greater than 3 million individuals — requested state officers to weigh in on whether or not there was a battle earlier than charging him final week.

Ferguson has been a choose since 2015. He began his authorized profession within the Orange County district legal professional’s workplace in 1983 and went on to work narcotics circumstances, for which he gained varied awards. He served as president of the North Orange County Bar Affiliation from 2012 to 2014.

In 2017, Ferguson was admonished by the Fee on Judicial Efficiency for posting an announcement on Fb a few judicial candidate “with realizing or reckless disregard for the reality of the assertion,” and for being Fb mates with attorneys showing earlier than him in court docket, in accordance with a duplicate of the company’s findings.

Ferguson mentioned on his Fb web page that he grew up in a army household and traveled all through Asia as a baby. He went on to attend faculty and legislation faculty in California. He and his spouse have been married in 1996.