. Forget Me Not EP available now on all major platforms. By: Dana Hertneky. 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. John 3:16. She doesnt believe he could be given a fair trial after more than 30 years. Both are model prisoners. Fontenot was sentenced to death again but Ward was sentenced to life in prison, according to The Oklahoman. 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! Fight for his release from jail crime Netflix Series was released back in 2018, and temporary. Tweet 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 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. Please refer to our.
[email protected] | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use. Both Ward and Fontenot would go on to recant their confessions. The Oklahoma attorney generals office, which appealed Inges order, declined to comment on Thursdays ruling. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. 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. Courtesy Netflix. 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. Please refer to our. @WardInnocentMan. Critically acclaimed singer, musician, and entertainer. 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. Subscribe and Follow on Facebook and YouTube for the latest music. In both Ward and Fontenots cases, judges issued rulings excoriating investigators for withholding favorable evidence from defense attorneys. 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. ADVERTISEMENT Tuesday, July 6th 2021, 11:00 pm. Local prosecutors again secured their convictions, based largely on their confessions. 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. 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 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. 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'. Fontenots conviction was overturned in 2019, and he was freed pending an appeal by the state. The 10th U.S. As a nonprofit news organization,The Frontieris funded by tax-deductible donations made by people who support quality journalism. 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.. 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. mail The judge said newly discovered evidence about Fontenot's alibi and other suspects in the murder provided "solid proof" of his probable innocence. Tommy Ward, 61, and Karl Fontenot, 58, were . The Oklahoma attorney general is appealing the ruling. That evidence includes previously undisclosed suspects and whether police provided Ward with information about the victim's blouse, which prosecutors said he had described. Ward and Fontenot were both granted a retrial a few years later, and again found guilty of Haraway's death. 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 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. 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. 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. At time of writing, he is still serving his life sentence without the possibility of parole, and is now 54 years old. He is currently serving time at the Dick Conner Correctional Center in Hominy in Oklahoma. Instead, she had died from a gunshot wound. 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. 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. The attorney generals office now has 20 days to respond. Share Ward's accurate description of the blouse was the only information that he gave that was correct in his confession, Barrett said. He reminds me of working with Frank Sinatra in some strange way." But one day before Ward's release, a temporary stay,. 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. A federal judge in Muskogee overturned Fontenot's conviction in late 2019. Fontenot, 57 and Tommy Ward, 61, were both twice convicted in Haraways murder. 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. Oklahomas Court of Criminal Appeals, however, argued that the district court had abused its discretion in that instance. 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. 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. Ward is currently still in prison while the appeals process continues. More to come. 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. Tommy has been recommended for parole at least twice, but turned down by the board in Oklahoma. The judge said newly discovered evidence about Fontenots alibi and other suspects in the murder provided solid proof of his probable innocence. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. 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. A state judge overturned Wards conviction in 2020, but the Oklahoma Attorney Generals Office has appealed the ruling. The judge found Tommy Ward didnt get a fair trial. Ward's case, and others, have been the. 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. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. News9.com is proud to provide Oklahomans with timely and relevant news and information, Since the age of 16, Ward has had the opportunity to work alongside industry veterans and legends. 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. Back in December a Ponotoc County judge overturned Wards conviction saying prosecutors withheld evidence in the case. To the extent that this could be the next Sinatra of our time." "Everything about their confession has been proven wrong by the discovery of the body," attorney Janet Davis noted in the documentary. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. Ward's case was the focus of the Netflix documentary "The Innocent Man, " which was released in 2018. "Tommy is the epitome of great music. remains wrongfully imprisoned . The Official YouTube Channel of Tommy Ward. Donate to The Frontier to support local independent investigative journalism. Karl Fontenot, Tommy Ward. Haraway was working as a clerk in a convenience store when she went missing in Ada in 1984. The attorney generals office now has 20 days to respond. "They have now been in prison for 31 years, serving hard time for a murder committed by someone else. 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. It was later upheld when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the state's appeal. Subscribe for the latest music videos, performances, and more!Tommy's new album "From This Moment On" available n. Tommy Ward has been in prison for 35 years and was supposed to be released today after a judge dismissed Ward's murder conviction. In 2020, District Judge Paula Inge vacated his conviction, dismissed the charges against him, and ordered him set free. Tommy has been recommended for parole at least twice, but turned down by the board in Oklahoma. John Grisham continues to correspond with both men. attempted to take on Fontenot's case in 2013, a 2017 interview with The Marshall Project. Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. This is new info, and were trying to figure what this means right now. When you read their briefs, they dont take issue with the fact that this information was withheld from him. Its clear as day.. Ward is currently still in prison while the appeals process continues. 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. 7726 5241 Dial by your location +1 346 248 7799 US Are allowed finish! Oct 28, 2022. Fontenot. Ward was convicted in the case in 1989 along with a co-defendant named Karl Fontenot. Breaking news: Judge orders Tommy released and vacates his conviction. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. 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. 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. Also Read: 'The Innocent Man': Netflix Sets December Launch for Docuseries Based on John Grisham Book. 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. 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.. 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.. She was 24. We are pressing forward exploring the possibility of going to federal court with additional appeals, Barrett said. 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. 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. Tuesday 30 August 2022 23:08 Tommy Ward in the 2018 Netflix docuseries 'The Innocent Man' (Netflix) A prisoner featured in the Netflix documentary series The Innocent Man has had his murder. - BART TORRES, 99.7FM The Highway Vibe. Ada store clerk Denice Haraway was abducted and killed on April 28, 1984. . The state also claims witnesses saw men matching Ward and Fontenots descriptions in the convenience store where Haraway worked before she disappeared. Tommy Ward was scheduled to be released in December 2020, but . 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. You can opt-out at any time. The judge also called the evidence against Ward circumstantial and said nearly all of the details in his confession were inaccurate. 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.. Wards attorneys said its far too late for Ward to receive a fair trial. Fontenot was released in December 2019 at the age of 55 after a federal judge ordered he be released or retried. 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. 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. have asked the court of appeals . 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. 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. Heres a link to the decision https://t.co/21UQag7LEi, Tommy Ward: The Innocent Man (@WardInnocentMan) December 19, 2020. Keep up-to-date with everything that happens in your world. However, she would never be seen alive again. Barrett noted that the appeals court ordered the lower court to consider an additional claim regarding new evidence discovered in 2019. 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. Keep up-to-date with everything that happens in your world. Fontenots lawyers at first waived the right to respond to the state, but the Supreme Court then requested a response. Ward has also had a widely celebrated opening act run for comedy legend Louie Anderson during his tenure at the Plaza Hotel. 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. Courtesy. So thats the reason I gave them an untrue statement so they would leave me alone.. I received Christmas cards last week from both Tommy Ward and Karl Fontenot, so we keep in touch," Grisham said. 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. 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. Tommy Ward is a critically acclaimed singer and entertainer from Las Vegas who has a deep love and appreciation for legendary musicians and crooners. 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. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and filming for Halloween Ends to release on October 14, 2022 with! Fontenots and Wards attorneys did not respond to requests for comment. 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. I didnt even know what the word 'statement' or 'confessing' meant 'til they told me I confessed to it. In June this year, the US Supreme Court refused to take up the case and to examine the states appeal. The state court of criminal appeals voted unanimously to reinstate Tommy Ward's murder conviction. Heres a link to the decision, Mark Barrett & The Center on Wrongful Convictions tweeted, with the legal documents confirming the move attached. 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 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. The Court of Criminal Appeals ordered Tommy Ward, 60, to remain imprisoned while the state appeals the lower courts ruling that he be released. Fontenot, Wards co-defendant, was ordered released by a federal judge in 2019, and the state is also appealing that order. 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. He is 54 years old and is being held at the at the North Fork Correctional Center in Sayre in Oklahoma. "They said I had a choice to write it or tape it. Appears the state will retry Karl Fontenot, who was released 2 years ago and subject of #netflix special. An autopsy showed evidence that she had been shot and no sign that she had been stabbed, per The AP. Back in December a Ponotoc County judge overturned Wards conviction saying prosecutors withheld evidence in the case. 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. 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. 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. Ward remains in prison as the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals weighs his case. Ward is the subject of a Netflix docuseries and a book by John Grisham. We promise to never spam you. Ward was convicted alongside Karl Fontenot for murdering Donna Harraway in Ada. We promise to never spam you. 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 . 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'. Want to support our mission to hold powerful people accountable, give a voice to the voiceless, and shine a light on darkness in Oklahoma? Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? But now, Wards release has been blocked by the state Attorney Generals Office. She decided to vacate Wards conviction and life sentence, and ordered his release. The attorneys claim a trove of hundreds of new documents uncovered in a police storage room back up Fontenots claims of innocence. 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. 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. Attorneys For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His Release From Jail. 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. Attorneys For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His Release From Jail. Wr Hines Ward - NFL.com /a > attorneys representing Tommy Ward was one of two serving! Advertisement On Friday, a judge vacated Ward's convictions and sentences, dismissed the charges and . Ward's newly released EP "From This Moment On," (2022) produced by LeCoq Records, showcases his stunning vocal abilities . 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. 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. Additional reporting by The Associated Press. 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 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.. 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.