Jury convicts a California judge of second-degree murder in his wife’s shooting death

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jurors convicted a Southern California judge of second-degree murder on Tuesday for fatally shooting his wife while the couple argued and watched television at home.

Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson, 74, was on trial for the 2023 death of his wife Sheryl, 65, in their Anaheim Hills home. Ferguson took the stand in his own defense, admitting to shooting his wife but saying it was an accident.

Jurors reached their decision Tuesday afternoon, a day after deliberations began. After the verdict was read in court, Ferguson was given a moment to hug his son before he was handcuffed and taken into custody. He was also found guilty of a felony gun enhancement and faces a maximum prison term of 40 years to life when he is sentenced June 13.

Ferguson's attorney Cameron Talley said the defense plans to appeal.

“I respect the jury's verdict,” Talley said. “At the same time, we all know that juries don't always get it right ... I still believe in Jeff.”

The verdict comes after a previous jury deadlocked in March and Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Eleanor J. Hunter declared a mistrial. Hunter has overseen the case to avoid a conflict of interest with the Superior Court in Orange County, where Ferguson presided over criminal cases until the shooting.

The case had roiled the legal community in the county, which is home to 3 million people between Los Angeles and San Diego. Many have known or worked with Ferguson for decades, including Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer.

“There are no winners here," Spitzer said during a news conference after the verdict. “Justice was achieved, but I’m very sad for the Ferguson family.”

Prosecutors said Ferguson had been drinking before he made a gun-like hand gesture toward his wife of 27 years during an argument about family finances they had during dinner at a Mexican restaurant on Aug. 3, 2023. Prosecutors said the argument continued at home while the couple was watching “Breaking Bad” on TV with their adult son, and Sheryl Ferguson chided her husband to point a real gun at her. He did, then pulled the trigger, prosecutors said.

Ferguson testified that he was removing the gun from his ankle holster to place it on a table, and fumbled it, and it discharged.

Immediately after the shooting, Ferguson and his son both called 911, and Ferguson texted his court clerk and bailiff saying, “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 a copy of a text message shown to jurors. His son Phillip testified to tackling his father to wrestle the gun away after the shooting and performing CPR on his mother.

Ferguson spoke with police outside his home and again once he was in custody, and was seen on video sobbing and saying his son and everyone would hate him. In the video, he said he killed his wife and pleaded for a jury to convict him.

Authorities said they found 47 weapons, including the gun used in the shooting, and more than 26,000 rounds of ammunition at the home, and said Ferguson had ample experience and training in firearms.

“This was not an accident. Ferguson was trained to never point a gun at anything he didn’t intend to destroy," Spitzer said in a statement about the verdict.

Ferguson was a long-time prosecutor who became a judge in 2015. He began his legal career in the district attorney’s office in 1983 and went on to work on narcotics cases, winning various awards.

Ferguson had been out on $2 million bail but was not presiding in court as the state constitution bars a judge facing a felony charge from hearing cases.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Eleanor Hunter presides over the retrial of Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson, who was found guilty on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Santa Ana, Calif., of second-degree murder in the shooting death of his wife, Sheryl Ferguson, in 2023. (Mindy Schauer/The Orange County Register via AP, Pool)

Orange County Superior Judge Jeffrey Ferguson, left, who was found guilty of second-degree murder in the shooting death of his wife Sheryl Ferguson in 2023, embraces his son, Phillip Ferguson, before being led away in handcuffs on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Santa Ana, Calif. (Mindy Schauer/The Orange County Register via AP, Pool)

An Orange County Superior Court jury found Orange County Superior Judge Jeffrey Ferguson, left, guilty of second-degree murder in the 2023 shooting death of his wife Sheryl Ferguson, and after he embraced his son, Phillip Ferguson, before being led away in handcuffs Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Santa Ana, Calif. (Mindy Schauer/The Orange County Register via AP, Pool)

An Orange County Superior Court jury found Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson, right, guilty of second-degree murder in the 2023 shooting death of his wife Sheryl Ferguson, Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Santa Ana, Calif. His attorney's Cameron Talley, is center, and Frances Prizzia, is left. (Mindy Schauer/The Orange County Register via AP, Pool)

An Orange County Superior Court jury found Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson guilty of second-degree murder in the 2023 shooting death of his wife Sheryl Ferguson, is consoled by his attorney, Cameron Talley, after the verdict was read Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Santa Ana, Calif. (Mindy Schauer/The Orange County Register via AP, Pool)

FILE - Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson appears during a hearing at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center, Aug. 15, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, Pool, File)

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Four-time defending Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen arrived at the Miami Grand Prix on Friday as a first-time father after announcing he and partner Kelly Piquet had welcomed a daughter.

“Welcome to the world, sweet Lily,” Verstappen and Piquet wrote Friday on Instagram. “Our hearts are fuller than ever — you are our greatest gift. We love you so much.”

Verstappen had skipped Thursday activities at this weekend's Miami Grand Prix to be with Piquet, the daughter of three-time F1 champion Nelson Piquet. The couple released no details about the birth, including when his daughter was born.

Verstappen and Piquet went public with their relationship in 2021. She has a daughter, Penelope, with driver Daniil Kvyat that Verstappen is very close with but this is the first child for Verstappen.

Verstappen joins Nico Hülkenberg as the only active F1 drivers this season with children.

“He’s joining that club. I hope it’s a good sleeper,” Hulkenberg said. “I think there’s lots to discover — many beautiful, nice things that come with that. I’m sure he’ll enjoy it.”

Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton said he spoke to Verstappen at F1's last race and could tell the Dutchman was eagerly awaiting the arrival of his child.

“It’s such an amazing, special thing,” Hamilton said. “I spoke to him briefly in Saudi and saw how excited he was. Big congrats to him.”

But there's a myth that racers often slow down when they become parents because they begin driving more cautiously and lose some of the edge that made them successful.

“Judge for yourself, look at the stats and what happens. Everyone is obviously different, but personally, I don’t feel that’s the case,” Hulkenberg said. "I feel once we step in the car — visor down, go out — even for me, I tend to forget what goes on outside because we’re just so focused and so driven to perform and maximize.

“I just personally feel it’s added benefit because it’s giving me so much outside of work and outside of being in Formula 1,” he added. “So I would even say it’s kind of been helpful for me, if anything.”

Mercedes driver George Russell doubted being a father will change Verstappen's on-track performance.

“As Nico says, I think for many people it probably brings things to your life. I know what it’s like when I see my nieces and nephews — they’re not my kids, but they bring me so much joy when I spend time with them,” Russell said. “And you’ve seen drivers in the past win championships and races who’ve got kids, so I don’t see it changing anything on his professional level.”

Verstappen, who has 64 career victories, has won the last four F1 titles. He’s won just once this season as McLaren has shown an early edge over Red Bull headed into Sunday’s race, the sixth of the season. He is third in the series standings.

Verstappen won the first two Miami Grand Prix races, while Lando Norris of McLaren scored the first F1 victory of his career at this race last year.

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Second placed Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands gestures on the podium during the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)