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. Ward is currently still in prison while the appeals process continues. You can opt-out at any time. Critically acclaimed singer, musician, and entertainer. 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. ADVERTISEMENT Though no physical evidence tied them to Haraways disappearance, Fontenot and Ward initially confessed to the crime after questioning by investigators. 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. At time of writing, he is still serving his life sentence without the possibility of parole, and is now 54 years old. Oklahomas Court of Criminal Appeals, however, argued that the district court had abused its discretion in that instance. 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. An autopsy showed evidence that she had been shot and no sign that she had been stabbed, per The AP. Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. The Official YouTube Channel of Tommy Ward. Back in December a Ponotoc County judge overturned Wards conviction saying prosecutors withheld evidence in the case. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Subscribe for the latest music videos, performances, and more!Tommy's new album "From This Moment On" available n. 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. He is 54 years old and is being held at the at the North Fork Correctional Center in Sayre in Oklahoma. 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. This is new info, and were trying to figure what this means right now. YOU'VE REACHED YOUR MONTHLY ARTICLE LIMIT. Tweet 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'. Ward's most recent recording, "Home" with GRAMMY nominated country artist Mark Winston Kirk, is currently in the Top 100 on regional radio and is being played in more than 15 states across the United States, including Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina. Since the age of 16, Ward has had the opportunity to work alongside industry veterans and legends. Ward and Fontenot were both granted a retrial a few years later, and again found guilty of Haraway's death. 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.. Ward is a hardworking and dedicated artist who continues to make a name for himself in the entertainment industry. 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. PublishedDecember 26, 2020 at 10:50 AM CST, KGOU | Tommy Ward is a critically acclaimed singer and entertainer from Las Vegas who has a deep love and appreciation for legendary musicians and crooners. 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. Fontenot. 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. Newson6.com is proud to provide Oklahomans with timely and relevant news and information, Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. Ward remained in prison while the state appealed the ruling, The Associated Press reported at the time. The judge also called the evidence against Ward circumstantial and said nearly all of the details in his confession were inaccurate. Ward was convicted alongside Karl Fontenot for murdering Donna Harraway in Ada. Ward was convicted in the case in 1989 along with a co-defendant named Karl Fontenot. News9.com is proud to provide Oklahomans with timely and relevant news and information, 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. 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.. 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. Position: WR Height: 6-0 Weight: 190 College: Rutgers Hometown: Canton, PA High School: Canton HS The victim, Donna Denice Haraway, disappeared from the McAnally's convenience store in Ada on April 28, 1984. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Thomas Ward, known to the public as Tommy Ward, was convicted in 1999 of the 1984 murder of Donna Denice Haraway in Ada, Oklahoma. Ward's accurate description of the blouse was the only information that he gave that was correct in his confession, Barrett said. You can opt-out at any time. 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. "Everything about their confession has been proven wrong by the discovery of the body," attorney Janet Davis noted in the documentary. 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. Keep up-to-date with everything that happens in your world. [Warning: Spoilers for "The Innocent Man" ahead!]. mail It was later upheld when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the state's appeal. 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. Both have excellent teams of lawyers who continue to work for their release.. sharing the stories, pictures and loves of Oklahomans across our great state. Fontenot, Wards co-defendant, was ordered released by a federal judge in 2019, and the state is also appealing that order. More:Oklahoma Army veteran gets probation for role in Jan. 6 US Capitol riot. Both Ward and . The Oklahoma attorney general is appealing the ruling. - QUINCY JONES, 27 time GRAMMY-award-winning producer "A fine singer A lovely, silky voice." In a 2017 interview with The Marshall Project, the author discussed their fates. info@tommywardmusic.com | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use. 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. Tommy Ward was one of two men serving a life sentence for the 1984 murder of Denice Haraway in Ada. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Ward remains in prison as the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals weighs his case. Both are model prisoners. 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. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. sharing the stories, pictures and loves of Oklahomans across our great state. Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna Denice Haraway. Courtesy Netflix. Fontenots and Wards attorneys did not respond to requests for comment. 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. Ward's case was the focus of the Netflix documentary "The Innocent Man, " which was released in 2018. More to come. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Tommy Ward. 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. Ward is the subject of a Netflix docuseries and a book by John Grisham. I received Christmas cards last week from both Tommy Ward and Karl Fontenot, so we keep in touch," Grisham said. 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 convictions were based almost entirely on accounts they said they retrieved from dreams. 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. 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. The two insisted they were innocent, but still ended up convicted of Haraway's murder. 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. The Court of Criminal Appeals ordered Tommy Ward, 60, to remain imprisoned while the state appeals the lower courts ruling that he be released. Fontenots death sentence was later reduced to life before his conviction was reversed by a federal appeals court. Share Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? When you read their briefs, they dont take issue with the fact that this information was withheld from him. We promise to never spam you. 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. 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. 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. 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. Ada store clerk Denice Haraway was abducted and killed on April 28, 1984. . Please refer to our. Subscribe and Follow on Facebook and YouTube for the latest music. 2022 Reader's Choice Winners . 7726 5241 Dial by your location +1 346 248 7799 US Are allowed finish! The attorney generals office now has 20 days to respond. 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. As a nonprofit news organization,The Frontieris funded by tax-deductible donations made by people who support quality journalism. Last week, a Pontotoc County District Court judge ordered Tommy Ward be released from prison. 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. The state also claims witnesses saw men matching Ward and Fontenots descriptions in the convenience store where Haraway worked before she disappeared. Tommy's legal team dedicated to freeing Tommy Ward from prison for a crime he did not commit.. 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. 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! Tommy Ward has been in prison for 35 years and was supposed to be released today after a judge dismissed Ward's murder conviction. Keep up-to-date with everything that happens in your world. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna "Denice" Haraway. This is new info, and were trying to figure what this means right now. Heres a link to the decision, Mark Barrett & The Center on Wrongful Convictions tweeted, with the legal documents confirming the move attached. An Oklahoma judge ruled that the case rested on circumstantial evidence. 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. 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. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. In 2020, District Judge Paula Inge vacated his conviction, dismissed the charges against him, and ordered him set free. The judge said newly discovered evidence about Fontenots alibi and other suspects in the murder provided solid proof of his probable innocence. The newlywed college student worked as a clerk there at night. Ward is currently still in prison while the appeals process continues. Fontenot is currently awaiting the results of a federal appeal. 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. 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. Barrett noted that the appeals court ordered the lower court to consider an additional claim regarding new evidence discovered in 2019. Attorneys For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His Release From Jail. 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. The Official YouTube Channel of Tommy Ward. However, she would never be seen alive again. Please refer to our. The organization has not offered an update on the status of their efforts. Appears the state will retry Karl Fontenot, who was released 2 years ago and subject of #netflix special. Share. Heres a link to the decision https://t.co/21UQag7LEi, Tommy Ward: The Innocent Man (@WardInnocentMan) December 19, 2020. 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. But the men quickly recanted and have claimed for decades that police coerced them to say they killed Haraway. I agree with TheWrap's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and provide my consent to receive marketing communications from them. Back in December a Ponotoc County judge overturned Wards conviction saying prosecutors withheld evidence in the case. I didnt even know what the word 'statement' or 'confessing' meant 'til they told me I confessed to it. 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. More to come. But one day before Ward's release, a temporary stay,. 2023 www.oklahoman.com. 19 talking about this. 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. "They said I had a choice to write it or tape it. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. We are pressing forward exploring the possibility of going to federal court with additional appeals, Barrett said. 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. He's very disappointed that he's still in prison for a murder he didn't commit, Ward's attorney, Mark Barrett, said Tuesday. The Oklahoma attorney generals office, which appealed Inges order, declined to comment on Thursdays ruling. Ward was featured in the Netflix. We cant do it without your support. Attorneys For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His Release From Jail. He is currently serving time at the Dick Conner Correctional Center in Hominy in Oklahoma. 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. Additional reporting by The Associated Press. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Instead, she had died from a gunshot wound. A state judge overturned Wards conviction in 2020, but the Oklahoma Attorney Generals Office has appealed the ruling. 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 Attorney General's Office Appeals Release Of Tommy Ward. Fontenot is free on bond as the appeals process plays out. 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. 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. Want to support our mission to hold powerful people accountable, give a voice to the voiceless, and shine a light on darkness in Oklahoma? Tommy Ward, 61, and Karl Fontenot, 58, were . We promise to never spam you. remains wrongfully imprisoned . That evidence includes previously undisclosed suspects and whether police provided Ward with information about the victim's blouse, which prosecutors said he had described. Fight for his release from jail crime Netflix Series was released back in 2018, and temporary. 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.. Also Read: 'The Innocent Man': Netflix Sets December Launch for Docuseries Based on John Grisham Book. 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. Ward's attorney, Mark Barrett, will also be filing an appeal for exoneration. Justices may determine before the courts term ends this summer whether to review the case. At 17, he and his band were one of the youngest opening acts in Las Vegas history, completing 90 shows for Billboard #1 artist and Las Vegas headliner of the year, Frankie Moreno. Donate to The Frontier to support local independent investigative journalism. 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. Local prosecutors again secured their convictions, based largely on their confessions. The investigators seem to have taken on the role of prosecutor, judge and jury, determining that the only relevant evidence was evidence that fit their theory of the case.. Tommy Ward to be set free . To the extent that this could be the next Sinatra of our time." Timmy Ward gamelogs for the 2022 season. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and filming for Halloween Ends to release on October 14, 2022 with! The convictions of Ward and Fontenot have been the subject of numerous books, including John Grishams The Innocent Man, which he produced into a six-part documentary. "Tommy is the epitome of great music. Courtesy. 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. Both Ward and Fontenot would go on to recant their confessions. Haraway was working as a clerk in a convenience store when she went missing in Ada in 1984. So where are the two men now, more than 30 years later? 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. The state court of criminal appeals voted unanimously to reinstate Tommy Ward's murder conviction. Wr Hines Ward - NFL.com /a > attorneys representing Tommy Ward was one of two serving! 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. 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. Wards attorneys said its far too late for Ward to receive a fair trial. Ward's case, and others, have been the. More damningly, Haraway had not been been stabbed as the young men had described. 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. 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. - BART TORRES, 99.7FM The Highway Vibe. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. 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. The most recent exculpatory disclosure came in 2019, 31 years after Fontenots conviction.. Tuesday, July 6th 2021, 11:00 pm. He reminds me of working with Frank Sinatra in some strange way." The judge said newly discovered evidence about Fontenot's alibi and other suspects in the murder provided "solid proof" of his probable innocence. 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. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. Fontenot and Thomas Ward were convicted of killing Ada convenience store clerk Donna Denice Haraway in 1984. It was based on the 2006 true-crime book The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town by John Grisham. 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. 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. Tommy has been recommended for parole at least twice, but turned down by the board in Oklahoma. Ward and Fontenot were sentenced to death on January 21, 1985 after being found guilty of murdering Haraway. and his videos on social media have racked up millions of views. OK man arrested for. 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.. Breaking news: Judge orders Tommy released and vacates his conviction. 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. a man whose murder conviction in Oklahoma was overturned, Fontenot and Thomas Ward were convicted of killing Ada convenience store clerk Donna Denice Haraway in 1984, which became a Netflix documentary series, Oklahoma Army veteran gets probation for role in Jan. 6 US Capitol riot, Human remains found, Oklahoma white supremacist leader might be connected, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. 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. Forget Me Not EP available now on all major platforms. A federal judge in Muskogee overturned Fontenot's conviction in late 2019. 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. Ward's newly released EP "From This Moment On," (2022) produced by LeCoq Records, showcases his stunning vocal abilities . Wards attorneys said its far too late for Ward to receive a fair trial. Which they did after I taped the statement," Fontenot said almost immediately after his interrogation, as described in Grisham's book. . Tommy Ward is still behind bars waiting for an appeal. Fontenot, 57 and Tommy Ward, 61, were both twice convicted in Haraways murder. Fontenots conviction was overturned in 2019, and he was freed pending an appeal by the state. 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. Among Fontenots legal team is Donald B. VerrilliJr., the U.S. solicitor general from 2011 to 2016. In both Ward and Fontenots cases, judges issued rulings excoriating investigators for withholding favorable evidence from defense attorneys. 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. By: Dana Hertneky. 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.. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal . Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail.
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