State v. Ferguson

Harshbarger, Justice:

In March, 1978, Ernest Ferguson was convicted by a jury in Wayne County Circuit Court, and sentenced to life imprisonment without recommendation of mercy, for murdering his wife, Leota.

The undisputed evidence was that Mrs. Ferguson died of a bullet wound suffered on July 19, 1977, at her home, and that immediately before receiving the wound she was engaged in physical struggle with her husband.

Ferguson testified that his wife, with pistol in her left hand, had threatened to kill herself, had then threat ened him, and that while he was trying to disarm her the pistol…