A California judge awaiting trial for allegedly murdering his wife is claiming hand sanitizer set off his ankle bracelet after it detected alcohol in his system.
Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Malcolm Ferguson, 73, faces charges for allegedly killing his wife, Sheryl Ferguson, 65, in August 2023.
He was taken into custody on Tuesday during a court hearing after Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Eleanor J. Hunter found that he had violated the terms of his release on the previous bail amount of $1 million by consuming alcohol.
Ferguson wears two ankle bracelets as a condition of his release, one to keep track of his whereabouts and the other to monitor his alcohol intake.
Alleging his ankle monitor causes him discomfort, he claims the alcohol from the hand sanitizer used to soothe his skin must have triggered the device.
He adamantly denied drinking alcohol and blamed a health condition that prompted his legs to swell, reported ABC7.
"I have not consumed alcohol for over a year, and I did not consume any alcohol on Aug. 28 and Aug. 29, 2024," he said in court papers.
However, Judge Hunter didn't buy the excuse.
Ferguson was remanded back to jail under an increased bail amount of $2 million as he awaits trial.
