Ex-Officer Claims Self-Defense in Fatal Shooting
Former Savannah officer Ernest Ferguson testified he feared for his life when he fired during a 2022 incident now underlying a felony murder charge.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Law Enforcement
Former Savannah police officer Ernest Ferguson testified Monday that he acted in self-defense when he fatally shot Saudi Lee in 2022. His attorneys are asking a judge to dismiss the felony murder charges against him.
Why it matters
The hearing tests whether Ferguson is protected from prosecution for an on-duty shooting, a question that bears on how the Savannah area's justice system handles police use-of-force cases. The outcome could set expectations for how similar cases are weighed in the region.
Ferguson faces a felony murder charge and is seeking dismissal through an immunity hearing that resumes Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Prosecutors contend Lee never threatened the officer, and the court has not yet ruled on the request.
The players
Ernest Ferguson
A former Savannah police officer charged with felony murder in connection with a fatal 2022 on-duty shooting.
The details
Ferguson's defense presented props and body camera footage it says shows Lee holding a gun. Under cross-examination, prosecutors questioned Ferguson about the direction his weapon was pointed, while he testified he fired because he feared for his life and the lives of his partner and community members.
Timeline
2022: Ferguson fatally shoots Saudi Lee.
Monday, November 2, 2026: Ferguson testifies in the immunity hearing.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026: The immunity hearing is scheduled to continue.
Legal Context
Ferguson's request to dismiss rests on a pretrial immunity hearing, a procedural route through which officers charged over on-duty force can seek to end a case before trial. How the judge weighs body camera footage against the officer's account will show how that route functions in practice.
Residents of Savannah following police accountability cases will see whether the immunity hearing results in dismissal or proceeds toward trial. The ruling will indicate how officer shootings are handled locally while the case remains open.
The takeaway
Pretrial immunity rulings can determine whether an officer faces trial over an on-duty shooting, so the outcome of this hearing will matter beyond the case itself. Readers tracking police accountability should watch how the judge treats the body camera evidence.
What happens next
The immunity hearing resumes Tuesday, November 3, 2026, with additional testimony expected.
Further reading
For more on police accountability cases, see Law Enforcement coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Wtoc.
