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. The newlywed college student worked as a clerk there at night. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. His conviction is the subject of the Netflix docu-series "The . Its clear as day.. You can opt-out at any time. She was 24. 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. remains wrongfully imprisoned . 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. 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'. The Court of Criminal Appeals ordered Tommy Ward, 60, to remain imprisoned while the state appeals the lower courts ruling that he be released. By: Dana Hertneky. The two insisted they were innocent, but still ended up convicted of Haraway's murder. We promise to never spam you. The Official YouTube Channel of Tommy Ward. Ward was featured in the Netflix. Ward was convicted alongside Karl Fontenot for murdering Donna Harraway in Ada. Tweet Both have excellent teams of lawyers who continue to work for their release.. Subscribe and Follow on Facebook and YouTube for the latest music. He is now 58 years old and says he will not admit guilt even if it means improving his chances at parole. More:Oklahoma Army veteran gets probation for role in Jan. 6 US Capitol riot. More damningly, Haraway had not been been stabbed as the young men had described. 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. More to come. The victim, Donna Denice Haraway, disappeared from the McAnally's convenience store in Ada on April 28, 1984. "They have now been in prison for 31 years, serving hard time for a murder committed by someone else. sharing the stories, pictures and loves of Oklahomans across our great state. Fontenot, 57 and Tommy Ward, 61, were both twice convicted in Haraways murder. The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals on Friday reinstated Tommy Ward's murder conviction in an infamous 1984 case out of Ada. In 2020, District Judge Paula Inge vacated his conviction, dismissed the charges against him, and ordered him set free. attempted to take on Fontenot's case in 2013, a 2017 interview with The Marshall Project. Also Read: 'The Innocent Man': Netflix Sets December Launch for Docuseries Based on John Grisham Book. Tommy's legal team dedicated to freeing Tommy Ward from prison for a crime he did not commit.. A state judge overturned Wards conviction in 2020, but the Oklahoma Attorney Generals Office has appealed the ruling. "Everything about their confession has been proven wrong by the discovery of the body," attorney Janet Davis noted in the documentary. 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. 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 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. Haraway was working as a clerk in a convenience store when she went missing in Ada in 1984. 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. 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. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. 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. Breaking news: Judge orders Tommy released and vacates his conviction. 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. Ward's accurate description of the blouse was the only information that he gave that was correct in his confession, Barrett said. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. 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. Tommy has been recommended for parole at least twice, but turned down by the board in Oklahoma. 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. But the men quickly recanted and have claimed for decades that police coerced them to say they killed Haraway. Instead, she had died from a gunshot wound. 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.. Heres a link to the decision, Mark Barrett & The Center on Wrongful Convictions tweeted, with the legal documents confirming the move attached. 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! Ward remains in prison as the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals weighs his case. Tuesday, July 6th 2021, 11:00 pm. This is new info, and were trying to figure what this means right now. 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. 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. 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. @WardInnocentMan. Fontenots and Wards attorneys did not respond to requests for comment. 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. 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. Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna Denice Haraway. and his videos on social media have racked up millions of views. Last week, a Pontotoc County District Court judge ordered Tommy Ward be released from prison. "They said I had a choice to write it or tape it. 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. 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. He is currently serving time at the Dick Conner Correctional Center in Hominy in Oklahoma. The 10th U.S. 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. 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.. Ward and Fontenot were both granted a retrial a few years later, and again found guilty of Haraway's death. Tommy Ward was scheduled to be released in December 2020, but . John 3:16. It was later upheld when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the state's appeal. Fontenot and Thomas Ward were convicted of killing Ada convenience store clerk Donna Denice Haraway in 1984. This contradicted the confessions, which stated that Haraway had been stabbed to death. OK man arrested for. 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. YOU'VE REACHED YOUR MONTHLY ARTICLE LIMIT. An autopsy showed evidence that she had been shot and no sign that she had been stabbed, per The AP. Justices may determine before the courts term ends this summer whether to review the case. 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. 19 talking about this. The. The judge also called the evidence against Ward circumstantial and said nearly all of the details in his confession were inaccurate. An Oklahoma judge ruled that the case rested on circumstantial evidence. It was based on the 2006 true-crime book The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town by John Grisham. Oklahoma Attorney General's Office Appeals Release Of Tommy Ward. Courtesy. 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'. Appears the state will retry Karl Fontenot, who was released 2 years ago and subject of #netflix special. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. 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. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Wards attorneys said its far too late for Ward to receive a fair trial. Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna Denice Haraway. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. 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. Fontenot's case was picked up by The Innocence Project in 2011, but there's . Fontenot is currently awaiting the results of a federal appeal. sharing the stories, pictures and loves of Oklahomans across our great state. 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. She said police and prosecutors withheld evidence that would have assisted Wards defense. In June this year, the US Supreme Court refused to take up the case and to examine the states appeal. So where are the two men now, more than 30 years later? PublishedDecember 26, 2020 at 10:50 AM CST, KGOU | 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. Ward has also had a widely celebrated opening act run for comedy legend Louie Anderson during his tenure at the Plaza Hotel. 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 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. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. The attorneys claim a trove of hundreds of new documents uncovered in a police storage room back up Fontenots claims of innocence. We promise to never spam you. Back in December a Ponotoc County judge overturned Wards conviction saying prosecutors withheld evidence in the case. Fontenot was released from prison after a federal judge in Oklahoma ruled in 2019 that the state committed numerous constitutional violations. I received Christmas cards last week from both Tommy Ward and Karl Fontenot, so we keep in touch," Grisham said. "Tommy is the epitome of great music. Ward was convicted in the case in 1989 along with a co-defendant named Karl Fontenot. A spokeswoman for Attorney General John OConnor declined to comment on the pending cases. The convictions were based almost entirely on accounts they said they retrieved from dreams. 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. Ward's attorney, Mark Barrett, will also be filing an appeal for exoneration. 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. 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. 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. More to come. - BART TORRES, 99.7FM The Highway Vibe. The Oklahoma attorney generals office, which appealed Inges order, declined to comment on Thursdays ruling. Last week, a Pontotoc County District Court judge ordered Tommy Ward be released from prison. Please refer to our. Tommy Ward is a critically acclaimed singer and entertainer from Las Vegas who has a deep love and appreciation for legendary musicians and crooners. 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. All rights reserved. He often uses his platform to raise awareness for various charitable causes and uses his talents to give back to his community. Courtesy Netflix. 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. 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 Court of Criminal Appeals ordered Tommy Ward, 60, to remain imprisoned while the state appeals the lower court's ruling that he be released. Forget Me Not EP available now on all major platforms. We cant do it without your support. I agree with TheWrap's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and provide my consent to receive marketing communications from them. 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. In addition to his impressive performances, Ward has a true passion for music and the arts. Wr Hines Ward - NFL.com /a > attorneys representing Tommy Ward was one of two serving! 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's newly released EP "From This Moment On," (2022) produced by LeCoq Records, showcases his stunning vocal abilities . This is new info, and were trying to figure what this means right now. 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. (Oklahoma Department of Corrections via AP), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. But one day before Ward's release, a temporary stay,. . info@tommywardmusic.com | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use. Share. Among Fontenots legal team is Donald B. VerrilliJr., the U.S. solicitor general from 2011 to 2016. Keep up-to-date with everything that happens in your world. Both Ward and Fontenot would go on to recant their confessions. She doesnt believe he could be given a fair trial after more than 30 years. 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. [Warning: Spoilers for "The Innocent Man" ahead!]. Want to support our mission to hold powerful people accountable, give a voice to the voiceless, and shine a light on darkness in Oklahoma? 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.

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