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Ward was convicted in the case in 1989 along with a co-defendant named Karl Fontenot. Fontenot was released from prison after a federal judge in Oklahoma ruled in 2019 that the state committed numerous constitutional violations. Fontenot, Wards co-defendant, was ordered released by a federal judge in 2019, and the state is also appealing that order. OK man arrested for. Oklahomas Court of Criminal Appeals, however, argued that the district court had abused its discretion in that instance. Tommy Ward is a critically acclaimed singer and entertainer from Las Vegas who has a deep love and appreciation for legendary musicians and crooners. OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals has reinstated the murder conviction and life sentence of a man featured in the book and television series The Innocent Man.. Heres a link to the decision, Mark Barrett & The Center on Wrongful Convictions tweeted, with the legal documents confirming the move attached. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Last week, a Pontotoc County District Court judge ordered Tommy Ward be released from prison. 7726 5241 Dial by your location +1 346 248 7799 US Are allowed finish! You can opt-out at any time. Ward had told police Haraway, 24, was stabbed and buried, but her skull, found more than a year after her disappearance, showed evidence of a gunshot wound and no evidence of stabbing, according to an autopsy. Both Ward and Fontenot would go on to recant their confessions. Oklahoma Attorney General's Office Appeals Release Of Tommy Ward. Position: WR Height: 6-0 Weight: 190 College: Rutgers Hometown: Canton, PA High School: Canton HS Fontenot's case was picked up by The Innocence Project in 2011, but there's . 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. And Mr. Fontenot has also established that evidence suppressed by the State prior to his new trial in 1988 led to a violation of his constitutional right to due process., More:Human remains found, Oklahoma white supremacist leader might be connected. 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. We cant do it without your support. Donate to The Frontier to support local independent investigative journalism. Fontenots and Wards attorneys did not respond to requests for comment. Fontenot was released from prison after a federal judge in Oklahoma ruled in 2019 that the state committed numerous constitutional violations. Please refer to our. Per The Associated Press, the convictions were based almost entirely on accounts they said they retrieved from dreams, and 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.. Tommy has been recommended for parole at least twice, but turned down by the board in Oklahoma. 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. We promise to never spam you. The Innocent Man, released by Netflix in 2018, looked at two murder cases having taken place in Ada in the 1980s, including the one which resulted in Wards conviction. and his videos on social media have racked up millions of views. 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. Ada store clerk Denice Haraway was abducted and killed on April 28, 1984. . Heres a link to the decision https://t.co/21UQag7LEi, Tommy Ward: The Innocent Man (@WardInnocentMan) December 19, 2020. Tommy Ward was scheduled to be released in December 2020, but . 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. Back in December a Ponotoc County judge overturned Wards conviction saying prosecutors withheld evidence in the case. Ward is currently still in prison while the appeals process continues. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! The Court of Criminal Appeals ordered Tommy Ward, 60, to remain imprisoned while the state appeals the lower courts ruling that he be released. In a 2017 interview with The Marshall Project, the author discussed their fates. Ward remains in prison as the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals weighs his case. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.. The attorney generals office now has 20 days to respond. The judge said newly discovered evidence about Fontenot's alibi and other suspects in the murder provided "solid proof" of his probable innocence. Fontenot has been released pending a decision from the United States 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. Ward was convicted alongside Karl Fontenot for murdering Donna Harraway in Ada. A federal judge in Muskogee overturned Fontenot's conviction in late 2019. Its clear as day.. @WardInnocentMan. Ward's case was the focus of the Netflix documentary "The Innocent Man, " which was released in 2018. Additional reporting by The Associated Press. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! We are pressing forward exploring the possibility of going to federal court with additional appeals, Barrett said. News9.com is proud to provide Oklahomans with timely and relevant news and information, The convictions of Ward and Fontenot have come under intense scrutiny for years and have been the subject of numerous books, including John Grishams The Innocent Man, which he produced into a six-part documentary. It was based on the 2006 true-crime book The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town by John Grisham. More to come. Ward was featured in the Netflix documentary and John Grisham book An Innocent Man. Ward along with Karl Fontenot were convicted of killing Denice Haraway back in the 1980s. The ruling, dated Friday, said the withheld evidence, which included witness interviews and police reports, had been available to Ward's defense since 2003 and was not included in Ward's direct appeal after his 1999 conviction. Fontenot has been released pending a decision from the United States 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. Tommy Ward to be set free . Instead, she had died from a gunshot wound. Justices may determine before the courts term ends this summer whether to review the case. Tommy's legal team dedicated to freeing Tommy Ward from prison for a crime he did not commit.. Karl Fontenot, Tommy Ward. 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. 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. But one day before Ward's release, a temporary stay,. Tommy Ward is a critically acclaimed singer and entertainer from Las Vegas who has a deep love and appreciation for legendary musicians and crooners. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and filming for Halloween Ends to release on October 14, 2022 with! 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. Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna "Denice" Haraway. OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - Convicted murderer Tommy Ward has filed a brief in response to the Attorney General's motion to keep him locked up in prison. Fontenots death sentence was later reduced to life before his conviction was reversed by a federal appeals court. Keep up-to-date with everything that happens in your world. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. Want to support our mission to hold powerful people accountable, give a voice to the voiceless, and shine a light on darkness in Oklahoma? attempted to take on Fontenot's case in 2013, a 2017 interview with The Marshall Project. Back in December a Ponotoc County judge overturned Wards conviction saying prosecutors withheld evidence in the case. Fontenot was released in December 2019 at the age of 55 after a federal judge ordered he be released or retried. Share The convictions were based almost entirely on accounts they said they retrieved from dreams. 2022 Reader's Choice Winners . 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. In 2020, District Judge Paula Inge vacated his conviction, dismissed the charges against him, and ordered him set free. That evidence includes previously undisclosed suspects and whether police provided Ward with information about the victim's blouse, which prosecutors said he had described. 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. More to come. Denice Haraway of Ada, Oklahoma went in for an ordinary day of work at her convenience store job on April 28, 1984. 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. He reminds me of working with Frank Sinatra in some strange way." The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals on Friday reinstated Tommy Ward's murder conviction in an infamous 1984 case out of Ada. 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. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. 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. Fontenot. Fontenots lawyers at first waived the right to respond to the state, but the Supreme Court then requested a response. Attorneys For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His Release From Jail. The circumstances surrounding Ward and Fontenot's confessions were suspicious from the start, and in fact were later proved to be inconsistent with what had actually happened to Haraway: Her body was ultimately found years after she vanished, 30 miles away from where the duo said they had deposited it. 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. Tommy Ward was one of two men serving a life sentence for the 1984 murder of Denice Haraway in Ada. 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. She decided to vacate Wards conviction and life sentence, and ordered his release. 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. The Attorney Generals office claims in its filing that Fontenot and Ward attempted to minimize their involvement in Haraways death during their confessions by saying the primary aggressor was another man who was never charged with the crime. Appears the state will retry Karl Fontenot, who was released 2 years ago and subject of #netflix special. Newson6.com is proud to provide Oklahomans with timely and relevant news and information, 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 has also had a widely celebrated opening act run for comedy legend Louie Anderson during his tenure at the Plaza Hotel. Ward's attorney, Mark Barrett, will also be filing an appeal for exoneration. YOU'VE REACHED YOUR MONTHLY ARTICLE LIMIT. 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. Ward and Fontenot were both granted a retrial a few years later, and again found guilty of Haraway's death. After the details of both mens confessions were proven untrue Haraways body was discovered years later in a different location and had been shot to death not stabbed as the pair had said a state appeals court ordered new trials. sharing the stories, pictures and loves of Oklahomans across our great state. The Official YouTube Channel of Tommy Ward. She doesnt believe he could be given a fair trial after more than 30 years. So where are the two men now, more than 30 years later? Breaking news: Judge orders Tommy released and vacates his conviction. I received Christmas cards last week from both Tommy Ward and Karl Fontenot, so we keep in touch," Grisham said. The most recent exculpatory disclosure came in 2019, 31 years after Fontenots conviction.. 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. 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. Ward was featured in the Netflix documentary and John Grisham book An Innocent Man. Ward along with Karl Fontenot were convicted of killing Denice Haraway back in the 1980s. More damningly, Haraway had not been been stabbed as the young men had described. 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. 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. Tuesday, July 6th 2021, 11:00 pm. But the men quickly recanted and have claimed for decades that police coerced them to say they killed Haraway. Keep up-to-date with everything that happens in your world. - QUINCY JONES, 27 time GRAMMY-award-winning producer "A fine singer A lovely, silky voice." Critically acclaimed singer, musician, and entertainer. sharing the stories, pictures and loves of Oklahomans across our great state. Wards and Fontenots convictions were featured in the John Grisham 2006 book The Innocent Man and a 2018 Netflix series of the same name, as well as the 1987 book Dreams of Ada by Robert Mayer. Both Ward and . He often uses his platform to raise awareness for various charitable causes and uses his talents to give back to his community. 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. 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. Haraway had been shot rather than stabbed, was 20 miles away from where the men said her body had been dumped, and she had been wearing different clothes than those Ward and Fontenot described. Wards attorneys said its far too late for Ward to receive a fair trial. Local prosecutors again secured their convictions, based largely on their confessions. PublishedDecember 26, 2020 at 10:50 AM CST, KGOU | Haraways body was located after the convictions. 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. Fontenot and Thomas Ward were convicted of killing Ada convenience store clerk Donna Denice Haraway in 1984. 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 on 6 delivered right to your inbox! The state also claims witnesses saw men matching Ward and Fontenots descriptions in the convenience store where Haraway worked before she disappeared. It was later upheld when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the state's appeal. Ward's newly released EP "From This Moment On," (2022) produced by LeCoq Records, showcases his stunning vocal abilities . We promise to never spam you. At time of writing, he is still serving his life sentence without the possibility of parole, and is now 54 years old. All rights reserved. The judge said newly discovered evidence about Fontenots alibi and other suspects in the murder provided solid proof of his probable innocence. 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. SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER, FIRST TAKE, 'The Innocent Man': Netflix Sets December Launch for Docuseries Based on John Grisham Book. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. The judge also called the evidence against Ward circumstantial and said nearly all of the details in his confession were inaccurate. The Oklahoma attorney generals office, which appealed Inges order, declined to comment on Thursdays ruling. Ward remained in prison while the state appealed the ruling, The Associated Press reported at the time. A state judge overturned Wards conviction in 2020, but the Oklahoma Attorney Generals Office has appealed the ruling. A spokeswoman for Attorney General John OConnor declined to comment on the pending cases. 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. Wards attorneys said its far too late for Ward to receive a fair trial. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal . Ward is currently still in prison while the appeals process continues. He is 54 years old and is being held at the at the North Fork Correctional Center in Sayre in Oklahoma. "Tommy is the epitome of great music. Fontenot was released from prison about one year ago after a federal judge found he also didnt receive a fair trial. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. This contradicted the confessions, which stated that Haraway had been stabbed to death. Advertisement On Friday, a judge vacated Ward's convictions and sentences, dismissed the charges and . You can opt-out at any time. 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.. 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. Courtesy Netflix. Fight for his release from jail crime Netflix Series was released back in 2018, and temporary. 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. But a Pontotoc County district judge ruled last month that prosecutors withheld key evidence in the case, including witness interviews and police reports, and ordered Wards release. 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. Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. Tommy Ward has been in prison 35 years for a murder he swears he did not commit. The six-part docuseries series, based on John Grishams 2006 best-selling non-fiction book The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town, tells the story of Ronald Keith Williamson, a man wrongfully convicted of rape and murder who spent 11 years on death row before he was exonerated. Both have excellent teams of lawyers who continue to work for their release.. Ward is a hardworking and dedicated artist who continues to make a name for himself in the entertainment industry. 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. To the extent that this could be the next Sinatra of our time." info@tommywardmusic.com | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use. 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. 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. Both are model prisoners. Fontenot, 57 and Tommy Ward, 61, were both twice convicted in Haraways murder. News 9 Team Holds Severe Weather Expo At Penn Square Mall, Sauced On The Paseo Re-Opens 2 Years After Fire, Read Across America Celebration Held At Belle Isle Library, 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. "They have now been in prison for 31 years, serving hard time for a murder committed by someone else. Barrett noted that the appeals court ordered the lower court to consider an additional claim regarding new evidence discovered in 2019. Raising the same general categories on post-conviction that one raised on direct appeal, even if the basis is different, will result in a procedural bar," according to the state court's opinion. - BART TORRES, 99.7FM The Highway Vibe. Forget Me Not EP available now on all major platforms. Im still holding out hope that the attorney general of Oklahoma will change course here, take a close look at the case, said Greg Swygert, one of Wards attorneys. The Official YouTube Channel of Tommy Ward. 2023 www.oklahoman.com. The state court of criminal appeals voted unanimously to reinstate Tommy Ward's murder conviction. In both Ward and Fontenots cases, judges issued rulings excoriating investigators for withholding favorable evidence from defense attorneys. Haraway was working as a clerk in a convenience store when she went missing in Ada in 1984.