In 2020, District Judge Paula Inge vacated his conviction, dismissed the charges against him, and ordered him set free. Tommy Ward was one of two men serving a life sentence for the 1984 murder of Denice Haraway in Ada. Instead, she had died from a gunshot wound. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Fontenot is currently awaiting the results of a federal appeal. Tommy Ward was scheduled to be released in December 2020, but . In a 2017 interview with The Marshall Project, the author discussed their fates. Additional reporting by The Associated Press. Ward is currently still in prison while the appeals process continues. Share Ward was convicted alongside Karl Fontenot for murdering Donna Harraway in Ada. Karl Fontenot: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know | Heavy.com Breaking news: Judge orders Tommy released and vacates his conviction. 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. Attorneys For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His 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. . 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 Oklahoma attorney general is appealing the ruling. She was 24. Prisoner seen in Netflix's The Innocent Man has murder conviction 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. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Ward's attorney, Mark Barrett, will also be filing an appeal for exoneration. attempted to take on Fontenot's case in 2013, a 2017 interview with The Marshall Project. 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 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. 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. "The Innocent Man" Tommy Ward files another brief - KFOR.com Tommy Ward. Ward's accurate description of the blouse was the only information that he gave that was correct in his confession, Barrett said. 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. I didnt even know what the word 'statement' or 'confessing' meant 'til they told me I confessed to it. 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. Ward and a co-defendant, Karl Fontenot, were convicted and sentenced to life in prison in the 1984 kidnapping and killing of Donna Denice Haraway, a convenience store clerk in Ada, Oklahoma. The 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. All rights reserved. Fontenots lawyers at first waived the right to respond to the state, but the Supreme Court then requested a response. Ward's case, and others, have been the. Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna Denice Haraway. Attorneys For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His Release From Jail. Ward is currently still in prison while the appeals process continues. 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. Both Ward and . 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. Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna Denice Haraway. Though no physical evidence tied them to Haraways disappearance, Fontenot and Ward initially confessed to the crime after questioning by investigators. By, 'Deeply tainted': Oklahoma conservatives call for moratorium, abolition of the death penalty, Sheriff, jail health care provider seek public money to increase staff after two women died, AG Drummond orders independent counsel to review Glossip death penalty case, Oklahoma Attorney General requests more time in between executions. John Grisham continues to correspond with both men. She said police and prosecutors withheld evidence that would have assisted Wards defense. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. What Happened To Tommy Ward And Karl Fontenot? 'The Innocent Man 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. Fontenot was released from prison after a federal judge in Oklahoma ruled in 2019 that the state committed numerous constitutional violations. 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 Oklahoma attorney generals office, which appealed Inges order, declined to comment on Thursdays ruling. 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. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and filming for Halloween Ends to release on October 14, 2022 with! In a motion and brief filed Monday on behalf of Tommy Ward, one of two men convicted of Haraway's murder in Ada and who was featured in the John Grisham book the Innocent Man and 2018 Netflix. 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. Attorneys For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His 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. Fontenot was released in December 2019 at the age of 55 after a federal judge ordered he be released or retried. Oklahoma Attorney General's Office Appeals Release Of Tommy Ward So where are the two men now, more than 30 years later? Ada store clerk Denice Haraway was abducted and killed on April 28, 1984. . The Official YouTube Channel of Tommy Ward. Tommy Ward, Convicted Murderer and Subject of Netflix's 'The - TheWrap Ward remains in prison as the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals weighs his case. Ward has also had a widely celebrated opening act run for comedy legend Louie Anderson during his tenure at the Plaza Hotel. The. (Oklahoma Department of Corrections via AP), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Back in December a Ponotoc County judge overturned Wards conviction saying prosecutors withheld evidence in the case. Oct 28, 2022. More:Oklahoma Army veteran gets probation for role in Jan. 6 US Capitol riot. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. 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. The victim, Donna Denice Haraway, disappeared from the McAnally's convenience store in Ada on April 28, 1984. A federal judge in Muskogee overturned Fontenot's conviction in late 2019. 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.. I agree with TheWrap's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and provide my consent to receive marketing communications from them. The two insisted they were innocent, but still ended up convicted of Haraway's murder. 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. Which they did after I taped the statement," Fontenot said almost immediately after his interrogation, as described in Grisham's book. Fight for his release from jail crime Netflix Series was released back in 2018, and temporary. John 3:16. The judge also called the evidence against Ward circumstantial and said nearly all of the details in his confession were inaccurate. info@tommywardmusic.com | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use. Oklahomas Court of Criminal Appeals, however, argued that the district court had abused its discretion in that instance. 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. @WardInnocentMan. 7726 5241 Dial by your location +1 346 248 7799 US Are allowed finish! 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. 2022 Reader's Choice Winners . Ward's case was the focus of the Netflix documentary "The Innocent Man, " which was released in 2018. As a nonprofit news organization,The Frontieris funded by tax-deductible donations made by people who support quality journalism. 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. "Everything about their confession has been proven wrong by the discovery of the body," attorney Janet Davis noted in the documentary. Fontenot has been released pending a decision from the United States 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. Ward remained in prison while the state appealed the ruling, The Associated Press reported at the time. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. Also Read: 'The Innocent Man': Netflix Sets December Launch for Docuseries Based on John Grisham Book. At time of writing, he is still serving his life sentence without the possibility of parole, and is now 54 years old. Advertisement On Friday, a judge vacated Ward's convictions and sentences, dismissed the charges and . 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. A spokeswoman for Attorney General John OConnor declined to comment on the pending cases. 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. Ward and Fontenot were both granted a retrial a few years later, and again found guilty of Haraway's death. Thomas Ward, known to the public as Tommy Ward, was convicted in 1999 of the 1984 murder of Donna Denice Haraway in Ada, Oklahoma. 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. ADVERTISEMENT An autopsy showed evidence that she had been shot and no sign that she had been stabbed, per The AP. 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. The Oklahoma Attorney General's 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. Both Ward and Fontenot would go on to recant their confessions. Tommy has been recommended for parole at least twice, but turned down by the board in Oklahoma. He is now 58 years old and says he will not admit guilt even if it means improving his chances at parole. You can opt-out at any time. 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. The most recent exculpatory disclosure came in 2019, 31 years after Fontenots conviction.. About Tommy Ward 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. sharing the stories, pictures and loves of Oklahomans across our great state. Position: WR Height: 6-0 Weight: 190 College: Rutgers Hometown: Canton, PA High School: Canton HS Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. "They have now been in prison for 31 years, serving hard time for a murder committed by someone else. Courtesy Netflix. Fontenot was released from prison about one year ago after a federal judge found he also didnt receive a fair trial. Judge orders release or new trial for 'Innocent Man' defendant 2023 www.oklahoman.com. 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. News9.com is proud to provide Oklahomans with timely and relevant news and information, 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. Fontenot, Wards co-defendant, was ordered released by a federal judge in 2019, and the state is also appealing that order. Tweet 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. 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. Donate to The Frontier to support local independent investigative journalism. The tribulations faced by the pair are depicted in Netflix's latest true crime docu-series, "The Innocent Man," based on the John Grisham book of the same name. Fontenot, 57 and Tommy Ward, 61, were both twice convicted in Haraways murder. have asked the court of appeals . Barrett noted that the appeals court ordered the lower court to consider an additional claim regarding new evidence discovered in 2019. The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals on Friday reinstated Tommy Ward's murder conviction in an infamous 1984 case out of Ada. We cant do it without your support. 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. Back in December a Ponotoc County judge overturned Wards conviction saying prosecutors withheld evidence in the case. The 10th U.S. 37 years since Ada murder, Ward still in custody - KTEN 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. "They said I had a choice to write it or tape it. 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. When you read their briefs, they dont take issue with the fact that this information was withheld from him. 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. 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.. Haraway was working as a clerk in a convenience store when she went missing in Ada in 1984. The judge found Tommy Ward didnt get a fair trial. 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. 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. Fontenot's case was picked up by The Innocence Project in 2011, but there's . - QUINCY JONES, 27 time GRAMMY-award-winning producer "A fine singer A lovely, silky voice." 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. Attorneys in Ada 'Innocent Man' case request judge vacate Ward's Tommy Ward is still behind bars waiting for an appeal. 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 . 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. Freed man in 'Dreams of Ada' case slams state appeal to Supreme Court 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. Attorneys For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His Release From Jail. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. Ward is a hardworking and dedicated artist who continues to make a name for himself in the entertainment industry. Subscribe for the latest music videos, performances, and more!Tommy's new album "From This Moment On" available n. 19 talking about this. 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! Tommy Ward, 61, and Karl Fontenot, 58, were . 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. Tommy Ward - YouTube Ward was convicted in the case in 1989 along with a co-defendant named Karl Fontenot. Tommy Ward - YouTube