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. 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. Also Read: 'The Innocent Man': Netflix Sets December Launch for Docuseries Based on John Grisham Book. 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. 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. A state judge overturned Wards conviction in 2020, but the Oklahoma Attorney Generals Office has appealed the ruling. But now, Wards release has been blocked by the state Attorney Generals Office. Appears the state will retry Karl Fontenot, who was released 2 years ago and subject of #netflix special. 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. We are pressing forward exploring the possibility of going to federal court with additional appeals, Barrett said. So where are the two men now, more than 30 years later? 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. Wards attorneys said its far too late for Ward to receive a fair trial. 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. 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. 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. The attorneys claim a trove of hundreds of new documents uncovered in a police storage room back up Fontenots claims of innocence. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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. 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. 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! 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'. Haraways body was located after the convictions. SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER, FIRST TAKE, 'The Innocent Man': Netflix Sets December Launch for Docuseries Based on John Grisham Book. 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. I agree with TheWrap's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and provide my consent to receive marketing communications from them. Ward remained in prison while the state appealed the ruling, The Associated Press reported at the time. Donate to The Frontier to support local independent investigative journalism. (Oklahoma Department of Corrections via AP), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Fontenot, 57 and Tommy Ward, 61, were both twice convicted in Haraways murder. 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. Justices may determine before the courts term ends this summer whether to review the case. 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. 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. Wr Hines Ward - NFL.com /a > attorneys representing Tommy Ward was one of two serving! Attorneys For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His Release From Jail. Ward and Fontenot were both granted a retrial a few years later, and again found guilty of Haraway's death. "Everything about their confession has been proven wrong by the discovery of the body," attorney Janet Davis noted in the documentary. 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. Subscribe for the latest music videos, performances, and more!Tommy's new album "From This Moment On" available n. 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 . They cant. An Oklahoma judge ruled that the case rested on circumstantial evidence. "They have now been in prison for 31 years, serving hard time for a murder committed by someone else. 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. All rights reserved. Fight for his release from jail crime Netflix Series was released back in 2018, and temporary. "Tommy is the epitome of great music. Breaking news: Judge orders Tommy released and vacates his conviction. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. Fontenot was released from prison about one year ago after a federal judge found he also didnt receive a fair trial. Fontenot is currently awaiting the results of a federal appeal. Both are model prisoners. The state court of criminal appeals voted unanimously to reinstate Tommy Ward's murder conviction. 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. Ward was convicted alongside Karl Fontenot for murdering Donna Harraway in Ada. Share Tommy's legal team dedicated to freeing Tommy Ward from prison for a crime he did not commit.. He often uses his platform to raise awareness for various charitable causes and uses his talents to give back to his community. You can opt-out at any time. Which they did after I taped the statement," Fontenot said almost immediately after his interrogation, as described in Grisham's book. It was based on the 2006 true-crime book The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town by John Grisham. Tweet Ward is currently still in prison while the appeals process continues. Local prosecutors again secured their convictions, based largely on their confessions. He reminds me of working with Frank Sinatra in some strange way." 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. Tommy Ward to be set free . Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. The Official YouTube Channel of Tommy Ward. 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.. Please refer to our. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal . Its clear as day.. Fontenots lawyers at first waived the right to respond to the state, but the Supreme Court then requested a response. However, she would never be seen alive again. 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. 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. 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 now 58 years old and says he will not admit guilt even if it means improving his chances at parole. Since the age of 16, Ward has had the opportunity to work alongside industry veterans and legends. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Advertisement On Friday, a judge vacated Ward's convictions and sentences, dismissed the charges and . Ward has also had a widely celebrated opening act run for comedy legend Louie Anderson during his tenure at the Plaza Hotel. Courtesy. Tommy Ward, 61, and Karl Fontenot, 58, were . Additional reporting by The Associated Press. At time of writing, he is still serving his life sentence without the possibility of parole, and is now 54 years old. 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. 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. Fontenot was released from prison after a federal judge in Oklahoma ruled in 2019 that the state committed numerous constitutional violations. . Tommy Ward was one of two men serving a life sentence for the 1984 murder of Denice Haraway in Ada. 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. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. Subscribe and Follow on Facebook and YouTube for the latest music. Ward is the subject of a Netflix docuseries and a book by John Grisham. 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. Keep up-to-date with everything that happens in your world. His conviction is the subject of the Netflix docu-series "The . Back in December a Ponotoc County judge overturned Wards conviction saying prosecutors withheld evidence in the case. - QUINCY JONES, 27 time GRAMMY-award-winning producer "A fine singer A lovely, silky voice." Tommy Ward was scheduled to be released in December 2020, but . Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? "They said I had a choice to write it or tape it. The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals on Friday reinstated Tommy Ward's murder conviction in an infamous 1984 case out of Ada. Heres a link to the decision https://t.co/21UQag7LEi, Tommy Ward: The Innocent Man (@WardInnocentMan) December 19, 2020. Ward and Fontenot were sentenced to death on January 21, 1985 after being found guilty of murdering Haraway. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. 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. info@tommywardmusic.com | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use. 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.. - STEVE WYNN, founder Wynn Resorts "I just saw Tommy in Las Vegas at a corporate event and I was BLOWN AWAY. 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. Courtesy Netflix. Both Ward and . 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. 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. [Warning: Spoilers for "The Innocent Man" ahead!]. 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 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. 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.. Fontenots death sentence was later reduced to life before his conviction was reversed by a federal appeals court. The attorney generals office now has 20 days to respond. It was later upheld when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the state's appeal. 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. 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. By: Dana Hertneky. 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. Critically acclaimed singer, musician, and entertainer. The judge also called the evidence against Ward circumstantial and said nearly all of the details in his confession were inaccurate. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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. More to come. 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. ADVERTISEMENT Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. The Oklahoma attorney general is appealing the ruling. 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. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. The state also claims witnesses saw men matching Ward and Fontenots descriptions in the convenience store where Haraway worked before she disappeared. 7726 5241 Dial by your location +1 346 248 7799 US Are allowed finish! 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. In both Ward and Fontenots cases, judges issued rulings excoriating investigators for withholding favorable evidence from defense attorneys. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! The most recent exculpatory disclosure came in 2019, 31 years after Fontenots conviction.. Ward is currently still in prison while the appeals process continues. 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. More damningly, Haraway had not been been stabbed as the young men had described. Ada store clerk Denice Haraway was abducted and killed on April 28, 1984. . remains wrongfully imprisoned . In addition to his impressive performances, Ward has a true passion for music and the arts. Fontenot is free on bond as the appeals process plays out. 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. 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. 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. Tommy Ward. This is new info, and were trying to figure what this means right now. Share. The. This contradicted the confessions, which stated that Haraway had been stabbed to death. We promise to never spam you. and his videos on social media have racked up millions of views. Fontenot. attempted to take on Fontenot's case in 2013, a 2017 interview with The Marshall Project. The convictions were based almost entirely on accounts they said they retrieved from dreams. 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. sharing the stories, pictures and loves of Oklahomans across our great state. Fontenot was released from prison after a federal judge in Oklahoma ruled in 2019 that the state committed numerous constitutional violations. She decided to vacate Wards conviction and life sentence, and ordered his release. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Fontenot, Wards co-defendant, was ordered released by a federal judge in 2019, and the state is also appealing that order. 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. Ward was featured in the Netflix. Denice Haraway of Ada, Oklahoma went in for an ordinary day of work at her convenience store job on April 28, 1984. The attorney generals office now has 20 days to respond. Tommy has been recommended for parole at least twice, but turned down by the board in Oklahoma. 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. 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. 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.