Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in, Please refresh your browser to be logged in, Prisoner seen in Netflixs The Innocent Man has conviction reinstated, refused to take up the case and to examine the states appeal, Extra 20% off selected fashion and sportswear at Very, Up to 20% off & extra perks with Booking.com Genius Membership, 50 cash with friend referrals at Virgin Mobile, 15% off extra plans with this Vodafone promo, Compare broadband packages side by side to find the best deal for you, Compare cheap broadband deals from providers with fastest speed in your area, All you need to know about fibre broadband, Best Apple iPhone Deals in the UK March 2023, Compare iPhone contract deals and get the best offer this March, Compare the best mobile phone deals from the top networks and brands. OK man arrested for. Tommy Ward, who was convicted twice for the 1984 kidnapping and murder of Ada convenience store clerk Donna "Denise" Haraway, had his conviction and life sentence overturned and was ordered to. The state of Oklahoma engaged in an egregious, decades-long pattern of prosecutorial misconduct to ensure that the facts of Karl Fontenots innocence never came to light, Fontenots legal team told the court. Ward's attorney, Mark Barrett, will also be filing an appeal for exoneration. And the prosecutorial misconduct did not end with the trial: over the next thirty years, the State continued to withhold evidence, releasing it piecemeal only when compelled to do so by multiple court orders, the lawyers told the court. The victim, Donna Denice Haraway, disappeared from the McAnally's convenience store in Ada on April 28, 1984. Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna Denice Haraway. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. The organization has not offered an update on the status of their efforts. Ward and a co-defendant, Karl Fontenot, were convicted and sentenced to life in prison in the 1984 kidnapping and killing of Donna Denice Haraway, a convenience store clerk in Ada, Oklahoma. Ward was convicted in the case in 1989 along with a co-defendant named Karl Fontenot. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Please refer to our. In her 2020 ruling vacating Wards conviction, Judge Inge pointed to what she said were issues with the evidence in the case, and deemed that due to the passage of time, Ward would not be able to receive a fair trial. Shot by Shot: Tracking Oklahoma police shootings in 2023, Listen Frontier: Sen. James Lankford speaks with The Frontier about abortion, immigration and more, Frontier content sharing and collaboration terms. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in, A judge reversed the conviction of Thomas Ward, known to the public as Tommy Ward, in 2020, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile, Tommy Ward in the 2018 Netflix docuseries The Innocent Man'. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. have asked the court of appeals . The Official YouTube Channel of Tommy Ward. Fontenot was released from prison about one year ago after a federal judge found he also didnt receive a fair trial. I didnt even know what the word 'statement' or 'confessing' meant 'til they told me I confessed to it. But one day before Ward's release, a temporary stay,. Keep up-to-date with everything that happens in your world. It also accounts the false convictions of Ward and Karl Fontenot for themurder of Denice Haraway and the false conviction of Greg Wilhoit for the rape and murder of his estranged wife. The Court of Criminal Appeals ruled Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021 that 60-year-old Tommy Ward remain imprisoned while the state appeals the lower court's ruling. Since the age of 16, Ward has had the opportunity to work alongside industry veterans and legends. Fontenot and Thomas Ward were convicted of killing Ada convenience store clerk Donna Denice Haraway in 1984. The young woman's disappearance sparked decades of controversy as police scrambled to solve the crime, leading to the convictions of two men: Tommy Ward and Karl Fontenot. Newly filed court documents reveal that a man who was one of the subjects of "The Innocent Man" is set to be released from prison. Attorneys For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His Release From Jail. Local prosecutors again secured their convictions, based largely on their confessions. Attorneys For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His Release From Jail. Thomas Ward, known to the public as Tommy Ward, was convicted in 1999 of the 1984 murder of Donna Denice Haraway in Ada, Oklahoma. Tommy Ward has been in prison 35 years for a murder he swears he did not commit. The conclusion of "The Innocent Man" docu-series notes that Ward's post-conviction filing has been opposed by the state, but that a judge will review the case in 2019. You can opt-out at any time. Tommy Ward to be set free . Breaking news: Judge orders Tommy released and vacates his conviction. Which they did after I taped the statement," Fontenot said almost immediately after his interrogation, as described in Grisham's book. In a 2017 interview with The Marshall Project, the author discussed their fates. Ward and a co-defendant, Karl Fontenot, were convicted and sentenced to life in prison in the 1984 kidnapping and killing of Donna Denice Haraway, a convenience store clerk in Ada, Oklahoma. Meanwhile, Fontenot, as explained in the Netflix series, had perhaps offered his testimony to the aggressive police because he both feared for his safety and wanted to escape from what was described as poverty and homelessness. After Haraways remains were found in 1986 in rural Hughes County, forensic analysis showed that many of the details in Fontenots and Wards confessions were wrong. Fontenot. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Appears the state will retry Karl Fontenot, who was released 2 years ago and subject of #netflix special. 2022 Reader's Choice Winners . Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna Denice Haraway. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and filming for Halloween Ends to release on October 14, 2022 with! Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna "Denice" Haraway. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. @WardInnocentMan. Ward and Fontenot were sentenced to death on January 21, 1985 after being found guilty of murdering Haraway. News 9s Barry Mangold will have more on the story on News 9 at 10 p.m. Be among the first to get breaking news, weather, and general news updates from News 9 delivered right to your inbox! Ward is the subject of a Netflix docuseries and a book by John Grisham. Fontenots attorneys have argued that many of the inaccurate details of his confession were supplied by detectives from the Ada Police Department and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! . He is now 58 years old and says he will not admit guilt even if it means improving his chances at parole. An autopsy showed evidence that she had been shot and no sign that she had been stabbed, per The AP. Ward was convicted alongside Karl Fontenot for murdering Donna Harraway in Ada. More to come. Lawyers for a man whose murder conviction in Oklahoma was overturned after he served more than three decades in prison urged the U.S. Supreme Court this week not to grant the states request to review the case. Ward's case was the focus of the Netflix documentary "The Innocent Man, " which was released in 2018. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. It was based on the 2006 true-crime book The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town by John Grisham. The case was the subject of the book, The Dreams of Ada, by Robert Mayer, and was also described in John Grishams The Innocent Man, which became a Netflix documentary series. He is currently serving time at the Dick Conner Correctional Center in Hominy in Oklahoma. We promise to never spam you. Among Fontenots legal team is Donald B. VerrilliJr., the U.S. solicitor general from 2011 to 2016. Mark Barrett and Greg Swygert , the attorneys representing Tommy Ward, spoke with The Frontier this week about the status of Ward's case to have his 1989 murder conviction and life sentence. The state also claims witnesses saw men matching Ward and Fontenots descriptions in the convenience store where Haraway worked before she disappeared. John Grisham continues to correspond with both men. Tommy Ward one of the subjects of Netflixs true-crime docuseries The Innocent Man, who was convicted of abduction, rape and the murder of an Oklahoma woman is to be released from prison (where he was sentenced to life) and all charges against him dismissed, Wards legal team announced Saturday. Ward was featured in the Netflix. The most recent exculpatory disclosure came in 2019, 31 years after Fontenots conviction.. Share. A prisoner featured in the Netflix documentary series The Innocent Man has had his murder conviction and life sentence reinstated after previously being granted relief. It was later upheld when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the state's appeal. Tommy has been recommended for parole at least twice, but turned down by the board in Oklahoma. Though no physical evidence tied them to Haraways disappearance, Fontenot and Ward initially confessed to the crime after questioning by investigators. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. However, court documents filed on Monday (29 August) show that on Friday (26 August), Oklahomas Court of Criminal Appeals reversed the judges decision and reinstated Wards conviction. Instead, she had died from a gunshot wound. Additional reporting by The Associated Press. Fontenots death sentence was later reduced to life before his conviction was reversed by a federal appeals court. You can opt-out at any time. Both have excellent teams of lawyers who continue to work for their release.. The Court of Criminal Appeals ordered Tommy Ward, 60, to remain imprisoned while the state appeals the lower courts ruling that he be released. Both Ward and Fontenot would go on to recant their confessions. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. More:Oklahoma Army veteran gets probation for role in Jan. 6 US Capitol riot. Share At only 25 years old, he has already made a name for himself in the entertainment industry, and his videos on social media have racked up millions of views. Oklahoma Attorney General's Office Appeals Release Of Tommy Ward. The convictions were based almost entirely on accounts they said they retrieved from dreams. She decided to vacate Wards conviction and life sentence, and ordered his release. The only evidence the state used in convicting Ward was a confession that he later claimed was spun wildly from a dream he reported, and only came out after intense pressure and hours of brutal interrogation. Evidence presented to exonerate Fontenot had been available since Fontenots trials in the 1980s, the state said, arguing that the high court should accept the caseto clarify that new evidence means newly discovered or newly available evidence as opposed to newly presented evidence. Ward has also had a widely celebrated opening act run for comedy legend Louie Anderson during his tenure at the Plaza Hotel. Critically acclaimed singer, musician, and entertainer. In June this year, the US Supreme Court refused to take up the case and to examine the states appeal. The appeals court did task the district court with handling a remaining claim from Wards team, according to which newly discovered evidence requires his conviction to be vacated. Donate to The Frontier to support local independent investigative journalism. The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals on Friday reinstated Tommy Ward's murder conviction in an infamous 1984 case out of Ada. They cant. Tommy Ward. The tribulations faced by the pair are depicted in Netflix's latest true crime docu-series, "The Innocent Man," based on the John Grisham book of the same name. An Oklahoma judge ruled that the case rested on circumstantial evidence. This is new info, and were trying to figure what this means right now. Tommy Ward was scheduled to be released in December 2020, but . Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. The response filed by Fontenots lawyers this week said the vast majority of evidence that the state claims was available in the 1980s was actually being suppressed by the state. Please refer to our. The newlywed college student worked as a clerk there at night. That evidence includes previously undisclosed suspects and whether police provided Ward with information about the victim's blouse, which prosecutors said he had described. Along with co-defendant Tommy Ward, Karl Fontenot was convicted twice in the kidnapping and murder of Donna Denise Haraway from an Ada convenience store in 1984 and sentenced to life without. But the men quickly recanted and have claimed for decades that police coerced them to say they killed Haraway. Tommy Ward is a critically acclaimed singer and entertainer from Las Vegas who has a deep love and appreciation for legendary musicians and crooners. The Oklahoma attorney generals office, which appealed Inges order, declined to comment on Thursdays ruling. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the judges ruling last year, saying that, Almost no evidence connected him to the crime other than his own videotaped confession, a confession that rang false in almost every particular., The appeals court said Fontenot has brought forth new evidence that is sufficient to unlock the actual innocence gateway and to allow his substantive claims to be heard on the merits. Timmy Ward gamelogs for the 2022 season. A state judge overturned Wards conviction in 2020, but the Oklahoma Attorney Generals Office has appealed the ruling. info@tommywardmusic.com | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use. In a motion and brief filed Monday on behalf of Tommy Ward, one of two men convicted of Haraway's murder in Ada and who was featured in the John Grisham book the Innocent Man and 2018 Netflix. The Oklahoma attorney general is appealing the ruling. Fontenot is free on bond as the appeals process plays out. Tommy Ward is a critically acclaimed singer and entertainer from Las Vegas who has a deep love and appreciation for legendary musicians and crooners. Tommy Ward has been in prison for 35 years and was supposed to be released today after a judge dismissed Ward's murder conviction. 2023 www.oklahoman.com. Wards attorneys said its far too late for Ward to receive a fair trial. Hes very disappointed that hes still in prison for a murder he didn't commit, Wards attorney Mark Barrett told The Associated Press on Tuesday (30 August), adding that the legal team is pressing forward and exploring the possibility of going to federal court.. Attorneys for a man convicted for the 1984 kidnapping and murder of an Ada woman say they plan to file a federal case to try and overturn his conviction after the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals overturned a lower court's order that would have made him a free man. Ward remained in prison while the state appealed the ruling, The Associated Press reported at the time. Ward remains in prison as the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals weighs his case. Yale University Honors 9-Year-Old Scientist, Water Main Break In Tulsa Forces Limited Road Closure, Metro Summer Youth Camp Hopes To Prevent Violence In The Community, OKC Thunder, Big Brothers & Big Sisters Host Clinic For Kids At Park, TCSO, 'Color Free America' Hold Dialogue Between Citizens And Law Enforcement, First Responders Host Recruitment Fair In Tulsa, Doctors Warn Dangers Of Cannabis Edibles For Children. His conviction is the subject of the Netflix docu-series "The . More to come. "They have now been in prison for 31 years, serving hard time for a murder committed by someone else. Fontenots conviction was overturned in 2019, and he was freed pending an appeal by the state. Position: WR Height: 6-0 Weight: 190 College: Rutgers Hometown: Canton, PA High School: Canton HS For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. FILE - This photo provided by the Oklahoma Department of Corrections shows Tommy Ward, who has spent 35 years in prison in a murder case featured in the book and television series 'The Innocent. The state Attorney Generals office appealed the order to overturn Fontenots conviction in federal court and has now announced its intent to appeal the order to release Ward. The court overturned a lower court decision that said because prosecutors and police withheld evidence that could exonerate Tommy Ward, 61, of the 1984 murder of Donna Denice Haraway in Ada. She was 24. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. Fontenots and Wards attorneys did not respond to requests for comment. The Oklahoma Attorney Generals Office has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the conviction of one man in the 1984 murder of an Ada convienince store worker featured featured The Innocent Man. Fontenot was released in December 2019 at the age of 55 after a federal judge ordered he be released or retried. His previous EPs "Forget Me Not" and "Merry Christmas" both reached the Top 10 on iTunes jazz charts on the first day of their release. Last week, a Pontotoc County District Court judge ordered Tommy Ward be released from prison. Ward and Fontenot were both granted a retrial a few years later, and again found guilty of Haraway's death. Later that year, an Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation Agent interviewed Tommy Ward, who said he, Karl Fontenot, and another man robbed the store Haraway worked at, then stabbed and raped. Ive never been in jail or had a police record in my life and no one in my face telling me Id killed a pretty woman, that Im going to get the death penalty, so I told them the story hoping they would leave me alone. Tommy Ward, 61, and Karl Fontenot, 58, were . Denice Haraway of Ada, Oklahoma went in for an ordinary day of work at her convenience store job on April 28, 1984. The Oklahoma Attorney General's Office has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the conviction of one man in the 1984 murder of an Ada convienince store worker featured featured The Innocent Man. Ward's newly released EP From This Moment On, (2022) produced by LeCoq Records, showcases his stunning vocal abilities and features truly unique arrangements played by some of the world's most respected musicians, including Bill Cunliffe, John Pattitucci, Vinny Colaiuta, and others. All rights reserved. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. In both Ward and Fontenots cases, judges issued rulings excoriating investigators for withholding favorable evidence from defense attorneys. The judge found Tommy Ward didnt get a fair trial. Justices should reject the states request to review the case because the evidence in this case qualifies as new evidence of actual innocence under any definition of new evidence, Fontenots lawyers argued. The order is the latest in a string of decisions rebuking the convictions of Ward and Karl Fontenot for an infamous 1984 murder documented in two books and a recent Netflix documentary. OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) A man who has spent 35 years in prison in a murder case featured in the book and television series The Innocent Man must remain incarcerated even after a judge ordered his release, an appeals court ruled Thursday. Courtesy Netflix. However, she would never be seen alive again. The Pontotoc County District Attorneys office relied solely on investigators to provide it with the evidence needed to prosecute the case without questioning whether the investigators had turned over all exculpatory and/or impeachment evidence, Judge Paula Inge wrote in her December order. Wards attorneys said its far too late for Ward to receive a fair trial. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. These dream confessions came after hours of interrogation by Ada police and state agents desperate to solve the disappearance of Haraway in 1984, just two years after the unsolved rape and murder of another young woman in the small central Oklahoma town. Want to support our mission to hold powerful people accountable, give a voice to the voiceless, and shine a light on darkness in Oklahoma? We cant do it without your support. YOU'VE REACHED YOUR MONTHLY ARTICLE LIMIT. The courts exhaustively reviewed voluminous amounts of withheld exculpatory evidence and correctly concluded that this is the rare case in which a habeas petitioner has credibly demonstrated actual innocence, the lawyers said. This photo provided by the Oklahoma Department of Corrections shows Tommy Ward, who has spent 35 years in prison in a murder case featured in the book and television series The Innocent Man'. Fontenot's case was picked up by The Innocence Project in 2011, but there's . Back in December a Ponotoc County judge overturned Wards conviction saying prosecutors withheld evidence in the case. So thats the reason I gave them an untrue statement so they would leave me alone.. - STEVE WYNN, founder Wynn Resorts "I just saw Tommy in Las Vegas at a corporate event and I was BLOWN AWAY. Ward is a hardworking and dedicated artist who continues to make a name for himself in the entertainment industry. Both have excellent teams of lawyers who continue to work for their release." The conclusion of "The Innocent Man" docu-series notes that Ward's post-conviction filing has been opposed by the state, but that a judge will review the case in 2019. A federal judge in Muskogee overturned Fontenot's conviction in late 2019. The two insisted they were innocent, but still ended up convicted of Haraway's murder. mail I received Christmas cards last week from both Tommy Ward and Karl Fontenot, so we keep in touch," Grisham said. Tommy Ward andKarl Fontenot were sentenced to death in 1985 for the murder of Denice Haraway, despite the fact that their confessions didn't match the crime they were accused of. Along with co-defendant Tommy Ward, Karl Fontenot was convicted twice in the kidnapping and murder of Donna Denise Haraway from an Ada convenience store in 1984 and sentenced to life without parole. Advertisement On Friday, a judge vacated Ward's convictions and sentences, dismissed the charges and . By: Dana Hertneky. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. Ward and co-defendant Karl Fontenot's initial convictions and death sentences for Harways death were overturned, but both were again convicted on retrial with Fontenot again receiving a death sentence and Ward being sentenced to life in prison. sharing the stories, pictures and loves of Oklahomans across our great state. The state of Oklahoma filed a petition in the U.S. Supreme Court in January arguing that a federal law placing strict time limits on appeals should have barred the claims made in 2016 by Fontenot. Fontenot, now 57,was tried twice and given the death penalty both times, though a retrial error led to a new sentence of life without parole. He's very disappointed that he's still in prison for a murder he didn't commit, Ward's attorney, Mark Barrett, said Tuesday. Barrett noted that the appeals court ordered the lower court to consider an additional claim regarding new evidence discovered in 2019. Both judges found the defendants constitutional rights were violated by police and prosecutors who until 2019 didnt turn over more than 300 pages of documents that would have helped the defendants. Read: Attorney General's Office Appeals Ruling That Would Vacate Sentence Of Tommy Ward, In Tuesdays filing, attorneys representing Ward argued the district judges ruling was fair and reasonable and echoed the judge that the withheld evidence creates a reasonable probability that the outcome would be different.. Fontenots lawyers at first waived the right to respond to the state, but the Supreme Court then requested a response. Back in December a Ponotoc County judge overturned Wards conviction saying prosecutors withheld evidence in the case. 19 talking about this. The attorney generals office now has 20 days to respond. Keep up-to-date with everything that happens in your world. The Official YouTube Channel of Tommy Ward. Tommy Ward was one of two men serving a life sentence for the 1984 murder of Denice Haraway in Ada. Newson6.com is proud to provide Oklahomans with timely and relevant news and information, The order is the latest in a string of decisions rebuking the convictions of Ward and Karl Fontenot for an infamous 1984 murder documented in two books and a recent Netflix documentary. The Court of Criminal Appeals ordered Tommy Ward, 60, to remain imprisoned while the state appeals the lower court's ruling that he be released. Tommy Ward one of the subjects of Netflix's true-crime docuseries "The Innocent Man," who was convicted of abduction, rape and the murder of an Oklahoma woman is to be released from . The judge said newly discovered evidence about Fontenot's alibi and other suspects in the murder provided "solid proof" of his probable innocence. [Warning: Spoilers for "The Innocent Man" ahead!]. featured in the book and television series, Reports: 3 children dead, 2 wounded in attack at Texas home, Kellyanne Conway, George Conway To Divorce After Decadeslong Marriage: Report, School punished teen girl for working out in sports bra in 100-degree Texas heat, ACLU says, U.S. court won't require FAA to make airplane seat size, spacing rules, 'Extremely dangerous': Spike in illegal crossings at Canada-Vermont border has feds sounding alarm. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Last week, a Pontotoc County District Court judge ordered Tommy Ward be released from prison. Heres a link to the decision, Mark Barrett & The Center on Wrongful Convictions tweeted, with the legal documents confirming the move attached. Both Ward and . The Oklahoma Innocence Project, an organization that helps to exonerate those wrongfully convicted, attempted to take on Fontenot's case in 2013, but itsappeals were denied in 2015. Haraways body was located after the convictions. Both are model prisoners. John 3:16. The. "They said I had a choice to write it or tape it. The ruling came down Friday from District Judge Paula Inge in Pontotoc County, who concluded in post-conviction finding that the case rested on circumstantial evidence in the form of conflicted witness statements and Wards inculpatory statements he gave to police. Fontenots conviction was overturned in 2019 by a federal judge in Muskogee, and that courts ruling was upheld last year by the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. Ward's accurate description of the blouse was the only information that he gave that was correct in his confession, Barrett said. In 2020, Fontenot's co-defendant in the case, Tommy Ward, also had his conviction overturned in state court, but prosecutors have appealed that decision to the Oklahoma Supreme Court. Ward's case, and others, have been the. Karl Fontenot was 20 years old in 1984, when he was arrested for the rape and murder of Donna Denice Haraway along with Tommy Ward.
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