A California judge accused of killing his wife is still earning his almost $250,000 salary while being held in prison.
Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson, 74, is accused of murdering his wife in Anaheim Hills last year, reported KTLA. He faces multiple felony charges related to the shooting death of his 65-year-old wife, Sheryl Ferguson, on August 3, 2023. He is currently incarcerated at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles County.
Ferguson, a former prosecutor turned judge in 2015, was initially released on $1 million bail but has been re-arrested for allegedly lying about drinking alcohol while awaiting trial.
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Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson, 74, allegedly killed his wife last year in Anaheim Hills. (Anaheim Police Department)
The judge received over $220,000 in salary and $22,000 in benefits in 2023, as reported by The Orange County Register. He has continued to be paid his $242,000 compensation even after the alleged murder of his wife.
He is charged with felony murder and two felony enhancements related to firearm use causing injury and death. If convicted on all charges, he could face 40 years to life imprisonment.
Ferguson has pleaded not guilty, but prosecutors claim he confessed to the killing in text messages exchanged with his court clerk and bailiff.
Ferguson faces a felony murder charge with two felony enhancements. (Getty Images )
“I just shot my wife. I won’t be in tomorrow. I will be in custody. I’m so sorry,” Ferguson allegedly wrote.
Prosecutors stated that after an argument at a restaurant, Ferguson and his wife continued the argument at home before he retrieved a pistol from his ankle holster and shot her in the chest. Their adult son claimed his father was intoxicated at the time.
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The judge made more than $220,000 in salary in 2023, with an additional $22,000 in benefits. (iStock)
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The judge continues to receive his salary because the California Constitution states that a judge facing felony charges is disqualified from acting as a judge, but this change does not include loss of salary, as reported by the Orange County Register.
A judge would only be suspended without pay after a felony conviction.
