You can opt-out at any time. 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. The Oklahoma attorney generals office, which appealed Inges order, declined to comment on Thursdays ruling. Tommy has been recommended for parole at least twice, but turned down by the board in Oklahoma. Last week, a Pontotoc County District Court judge ordered Tommy Ward be released from prison. 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. Tommy Ward has been in prison for 35 years and was supposed to be released today after a judge dismissed Ward's murder conviction. Please refer to our. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. In a 2017 interview with The Marshall Project, the author discussed their fates. Fontenot is currently awaiting the results of a federal appeal. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. Both have excellent teams of lawyers who continue to work for their release.. SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER, FIRST TAKE, 'The Innocent Man': Netflix Sets December Launch for Docuseries Based on John Grisham Book. 19 talking about this. 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 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. It was later upheld when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the state's appeal. 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. He is 54 years old and is being held at the at the North Fork Correctional Center in Sayre in Oklahoma. 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. More damningly, Haraway had not been been stabbed as the young men had described. The state also claims witnesses saw men matching Ward and Fontenots descriptions in the convenience store where Haraway worked before she disappeared. 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.. Fontenot has been released pending a decision from the United States 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. 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. [Warning: Spoilers for "The Innocent Man" ahead!]. Fontenot's case was picked up by The Innocence Project in 2011, but there's . Ward remains in prison as the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals weighs his case. Last week, a Pontotoc County District Court judge ordered Tommy Ward be released from prison. The Court of Criminal Appeals ordered Tommy Ward, 60, to remain imprisoned while the state appeals the lower courts ruling that he be released. - QUINCY JONES, 27 time GRAMMY-award-winning producer "A fine singer A lovely, silky voice." 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. 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. Back in December a Ponotoc County judge overturned Wards conviction saying prosecutors withheld evidence in the case. The victim, Donna Denice Haraway, disappeared from the McAnally's convenience store in Ada on April 28, 1984. Ada store clerk Denice Haraway was abducted and killed on April 28, 1984. . . But the men quickly recanted and have claimed for decades that police coerced them to say they killed Haraway. Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna "Denice" Haraway. Ward is the subject of a Netflix docuseries and a book by John Grisham. The state of Oklahoma engaged in an egregious, decades-long pattern of prosecutorial misconduct to ensure that the facts of Karl Fontenots innocence never came to light, Fontenots legal team told the court. Ward has also had a widely celebrated opening act run for comedy legend Louie Anderson during his tenure at the Plaza Hotel. 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 most recent exculpatory disclosure came in 2019, 31 years after Fontenots conviction.. More to come. Tommy Ward is a critically acclaimed singer and entertainer from Las Vegas who has a deep love and appreciation for legendary musicians and crooners. Wr Hines Ward - NFL.com /a > attorneys representing Tommy Ward was one of two serving! That evidence includes previously undisclosed suspects and whether police provided Ward with information about the victim's blouse, which prosecutors said he had described. Oklahoma Attorney General's Office Appeals Release Of Tommy Ward. Both Ward and . She decided to vacate Wards conviction and life sentence, and ordered his release. Advertisement On Friday, a judge vacated Ward's convictions and sentences, dismissed the charges and . It was based on the 2006 true-crime book The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town by John Grisham. Fontenots attorneys have argued that many of the inaccurate details of his confession were supplied by detectives from the Ada Police Department and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations. He is now 58 years old and says he will not admit guilt even if it means improving his chances at parole. 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 organization has not offered an update on the status of their efforts. "Tommy is the epitome of great music. Fontenot has been released pending a decision from the United States 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. Fontenot was released from prison after a federal judge in Oklahoma ruled in 2019 that the state committed numerous constitutional violations. 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. 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. The Oklahoma attorney general is appealing the ruling. He's very disappointed that he's still in prison for a murder he didn't commit, Ward's attorney, Mark Barrett, said Tuesday. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Wards attorneys said its far too late for Ward to receive a fair trial. Karl Fontenot, Tommy Ward. A federal judge in Muskogee overturned Fontenot's conviction in late 2019. Also Read: 'The Innocent Man': Netflix Sets December Launch for Docuseries Based on John Grisham Book. 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. Fontenots and Wards attorneys did not respond to requests for comment. Courtesy. attempted to take on Fontenot's case in 2013, a 2017 interview with The Marshall Project. 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. 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. The attorneys claim a trove of hundreds of new documents uncovered in a police storage room back up Fontenots claims of innocence. An autopsy showed evidence that she had been shot and no sign that she had been stabbed, per The AP. 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 . Tommy Ward was scheduled to be released in December 2020, but . Local prosecutors again secured their convictions, based largely on their confessions. 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.. Subscribe for the latest music videos, performances, and more!Tommy's new album "From This Moment On" available n. 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. As a nonprofit news organization,The Frontieris funded by tax-deductible donations made by people who support quality journalism. She was 24. 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. Since the age of 16, Ward has had the opportunity to work alongside industry veterans and legends. 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. Back in December a Ponotoc County judge overturned Wards conviction saying prosecutors withheld evidence in the case. 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. 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. Newson6.com is proud to provide Oklahomans with timely and relevant news and information, 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. 2022 Reader's Choice Winners . 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 Ward and Fontenot would go on to recant their confessions. His conviction is the subject of the Netflix docu-series "The . Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna Denice Haraway. 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. The Oklahoma attorney general is appealing the ruling. 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. 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. 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. Additional reporting by The Associated Press. Ward's case was the focus of the Netflix documentary "The Innocent Man, " which was released in 2018. The attorney generals office now has 20 days to respond. Heres a link to the decision, Mark Barrett & The Center on Wrongful Convictions tweeted, with the legal documents confirming the move attached. She doesnt believe he could be given a fair trial after more than 30 years. When you read their briefs, they dont take issue with the fact that this information was withheld from him. have asked the court of appeals . Keep up-to-date with everything that happens in your world. 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. Fight for his release from jail crime Netflix Series was released back in 2018, and temporary. Donate to The Frontier to support local independent investigative journalism. Fontenot, 57 and Tommy Ward, 61, were both twice convicted in Haraways murder. sharing the stories, pictures and loves of Oklahomans across our great state. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal . Which they did after I taped the statement," Fontenot said almost immediately after his interrogation, as described in Grisham's book. The newlywed college student worked as a clerk there at night. 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's case, and others, have been the. 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. "Everything about their confession has been proven wrong by the discovery of the body," attorney Janet Davis noted in the documentary. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! remains wrongfully imprisoned . Timmy Ward gamelogs for the 2022 season. 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. 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. Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Attorneys For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His Release From Jail. Ward was convicted alongside Karl Fontenot for murdering Donna Harraway in Ada. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. I received Christmas cards last week from both Tommy Ward and Karl Fontenot, so we keep in touch," Grisham said. 2023 www.oklahoman.com. Fontenot was released from prison after a federal judge in Oklahoma ruled in 2019 that the state committed numerous constitutional violations. 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. Tommy Ward, 61, and Karl Fontenot, 58, were . Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna Denice Haraway. Tommy Ward is a critically acclaimed singer and entertainer from Las Vegas who has a deep love and appreciation for legendary musicians and crooners. I didnt even know what the word 'statement' or 'confessing' meant 'til they told me I confessed to it. The judge also called the evidence against Ward circumstantial and said nearly all of the details in his confession were inaccurate. Tommy Ward was one of two men serving a life sentence for the 1984 murder of Denice Haraway in Ada. The judge said newly discovered evidence about Fontenots alibi and other suspects in the murder provided solid proof of his probable innocence. 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. 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. "They have now been in prison for 31 years, serving hard time for a murder committed by someone else. 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. Forget Me Not EP available now on all major platforms. 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. Tommy Ward. The tribulations faced by the pair are depicted in Netflix's latest true crime docu-series, "The Innocent Man," based on the John Grisham book of the same name. Please refer to our. 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. Thomas Ward, known to the public as Tommy Ward, was convicted in 1999 of the 1984 murder of Donna Denice Haraway in Ada, Oklahoma. Breaking news: Judge orders Tommy released and vacates his conviction. 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'.