Bond hearing not held for former Savannah police officer accused of robbery

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - A bond hearing was on the schedule for a former Savannah police officer accused of robbery. However, his name was never called on the docket while WTOC was at the courthouse on Thursday.

Ernest Ferguson, who is currently under investigation for the shooting and killing of Saudi Lee, was scheduled to appear in court Thursday afternoon on separate robbery charges.

Ferguson was supposed to appear before a judge to see if he can receive bond.

Ferguson was just denied bond in June for this charge. The judge told Ferguson he would be willing to grant him bond if he got into a treatment center.

Ferguson previously told Savannah Police Internal Affairs he developed a drinking problem after his suspension for the shooting death of Saudi Lee in June 2022. He has never been charged for Lee’s death, though the case was investigated by the GBI and handed over to the Chatham County District Attorney’s Office in August 2022.

His scheduled appearance Thursday was supposed to be on a robbery by sudden snatching charge. The Savannah Police Department has accused Ferguson of taking a $24,000 watch from a department store back in December - though he wasn’t served a warrant until April 10 of this year.

He was given the warrant in the Chatham County Detention Center, after being extradited there from a different robbery charge in Florida.