A California choose on trial for murdering his spouse advised cops he shot her throughout an argument about cash whereas consuming and watching the hit crime sequence “Breaking Bad,” prosecutors mentioned.
Orange County Superior Court docket Decide Jeffrey Ferguson, 74, had been consuming and arguing with Sheryl Ferguson whereas out to dinner and later contained in the household residence on Aug. 3, 2023, when his spouse dared him to level a gun at her — which he did, prosecutors advised jurors on Wednesday.
The choose pulled a loaded gun from his ankle holster and fatally shot his spouse whereas their grownup son appeared on, prosecutor Seton Hunt mentioned throughout opening testimony.
“I killed her,” Ferguson is heard saying on police bodycam video. “I did it.”
He then despatched a cryptic message to his court docket clerk and bailiff, Hunt advised jurors.
“I just lost it,” he wrote. “I just shot my wife. I won’t be in tomorrow. I will be in custody. I’m so sorry.”
Ferguson’s lawyer has not denied that his shopper shot and killed his spouse, however claims it was an accident.
Protection lawyer Cameron Talley mentioned throughout opening statements that Ferguson made a gun gesture together with his hand through the couple’s dispute over cash — together with his spouse teasing him to level an actual gun.
The choose, who had 47 weapons within the residence and 26,000 rounds of ammunition, then pointed an actual gun at his spouse and pulled the set off, which he claims was accidentally.
Each Ferguson and his grownup son, Phillip, known as 911. The son then took the gun away from his father and jumped over the sofa to carry out CPR on his mother, who was not respiration.
The bodycam footage proven to the jury in court docket exhibits the choose being led out of his Orange County residence in handcuffs earlier than he was charged.
“Never in my wildest dreams I thought I’d be sitting here in handcuffs,” he’s heard saying as cops askied if his spouse was nonetheless alive.
The trial is being held in close by Santa Ana to keep away from a possible battle of curiosity.
Ferguson, a former Orange County prosecutor, was launched on $1 million bail after his arrest, however was later jailed for consuming, a violation of his bail situations.
He was later launched on $2 million bail and is predicted to testify at his trial.
With Submit wires
