He's very disappointed that he's still in prison for a murder he didn't commit, Ward's attorney, Mark Barrett, said Tuesday. Attorneys For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His Release From Jail. 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. She said police and prosecutors withheld evidence that would have assisted Wards defense. This is new info, and were trying to figure what this means right now. Ward is a hardworking and dedicated artist who continues to make a name for himself in the entertainment industry. Tommy Ward to be set free . Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. Fontenot was released from prison after a federal judge in Oklahoma ruled in 2019 that the state committed numerous constitutional violations. He is 54 years old and is being held at the at the North Fork Correctional Center in Sayre in Oklahoma. 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. - BART TORRES, 99.7FM The Highway Vibe. The Official YouTube Channel of Tommy Ward. Haraways body was located after the convictions. Back in December a Ponotoc County judge overturned Wards conviction saying prosecutors withheld evidence in the case. Tommy Ward is a critically acclaimed singer and entertainer from Las Vegas who has a deep love and appreciation for legendary musicians and crooners. Ward's attorney, Mark Barrett, will also be filing an appeal for exoneration. However, she would never be seen alive again. The victim, Donna Denice Haraway, disappeared from the McAnally's convenience store in Ada on April 28, 1984. Wards attorneys said its far too late for Ward to receive a fair trial. I received Christmas cards last week from both Tommy Ward and Karl Fontenot, so we keep in touch," Grisham said. They cant. 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. Share. 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 court's ruling that he be released. Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. 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. Though no physical evidence tied them to Haraways disappearance, Fontenot and Ward initially confessed to the crime after questioning by investigators. 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. News9.com is proud to provide Oklahomans with timely and relevant news and information, attempted to take on Fontenot's case in 2013, a 2017 interview with The Marshall Project. We promise to never spam you. Forget Me Not EP available now on all major platforms. 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. 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. Ward was convicted alongside Karl Fontenot for murdering Donna Harraway in Ada. 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. 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.. Tommy's legal team dedicated to freeing Tommy Ward from prison for a crime he did not commit.. Fontenot was released in December 2019 at the age of 55 after a federal judge ordered he be released or retried. 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. More to come. 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'. 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. have asked the court of appeals . The state also claims witnesses saw men matching Ward and Fontenots descriptions in the convenience store where Haraway worked before she disappeared. 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. 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. He is currently serving time at the Dick Conner Correctional Center in Hominy in Oklahoma. "Tommy is the epitome of great music. Thomas Ward, known to the public as Tommy Ward, was convicted in 1999 of the 1984 murder of Donna Denice Haraway in Ada, Oklahoma. Instead, she had died from a gunshot wound. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and filming for Halloween Ends to release on October 14, 2022 with! Fontenots death sentence was later reduced to life before his conviction was reversed by a federal appeals court. Ward was convicted in the case in 1989 along with a co-defendant named Karl Fontenot. Subscribe and Follow on Facebook and YouTube for the latest music. 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. Fontenots lawyers at first waived the right to respond to the state, but the Supreme Court then requested a response. But now, Wards release has been blocked by the state Attorney Generals Office. Ward remains in prison as the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals weighs his case. Its clear as day.. 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. 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. Tommy Ward was scheduled to be released in December 2020, but . 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. She doesnt believe he could be given a fair trial after more than 30 years. 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! He reminds me of working with Frank Sinatra in some strange way." Fontenot has been released pending a decision from the United States 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. Back in December a Ponotoc County judge overturned Wards conviction saying prosecutors withheld evidence in the case. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Ward remained in prison while the state appealed the ruling, The Associated Press reported at the time. Newson6.com is proud to provide Oklahomans with timely and relevant news and information, I didnt even know what the word 'statement' or 'confessing' meant 'til they told me I confessed to it. Position: WR Height: 6-0 Weight: 190 College: Rutgers Hometown: Canton, PA High School: Canton HS Fontenot and Thomas Ward were convicted of killing Ada convenience store clerk Donna Denice Haraway in 1984. Subscribe for the latest music videos, performances, and more!Tommy's new album "From This Moment On" available n. PublishedDecember 26, 2020 at 10:50 AM CST, KGOU | "Everything about their confession has been proven wrong by the discovery of the body," attorney Janet Davis noted in the documentary. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. Oklahoma Attorney General's Office Appeals Release Of Tommy Ward. 2023 www.oklahoman.com. 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. 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. 19 talking about this. info@tommywardmusic.com | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use. 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. 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. An Oklahoma judge ruled that the case rested on circumstantial evidence. SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER, FIRST TAKE, 'The Innocent Man': Netflix Sets December Launch for Docuseries Based on John Grisham Book. Breaking news: Judge orders Tommy released and vacates his conviction. 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 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. 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. 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 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. 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. 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. 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. Fontenots conviction was overturned in 2019, and he was freed pending an appeal by the state. 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 Oklahoma attorney general is appealing the ruling. At time of writing, he is still serving his life sentence without the possibility of parole, and is now 54 years old. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Heres a link to the decision, Mark Barrett & The Center on Wrongful Convictions tweeted, with the legal documents confirming the move attached. Heres a link to the decision https://t.co/21UQag7LEi, Tommy Ward: The Innocent Man (@WardInnocentMan) December 19, 2020. 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. 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 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. That evidence includes previously undisclosed suspects and whether police provided Ward with information about the victim's blouse, which prosecutors said he had described. - QUINCY JONES, 27 time GRAMMY-award-winning producer "A fine singer A lovely, silky voice." 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 Department of Corrections via AP), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. The state court of criminal appeals voted unanimously to reinstate Tommy Ward's murder conviction. 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 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. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. The Official YouTube Channel of Tommy Ward. 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. 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.. Ada store clerk Denice Haraway was abducted and killed on April 28, 1984. . 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. remains wrongfully imprisoned . 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. But one day before Ward's release, a temporary stay,. More:Oklahoma Army veteran gets probation for role in Jan. 6 US Capitol riot. Courtesy. "They said I had a choice to write it or tape it. OK man arrested for. Fight for his release from jail crime Netflix Series was released back in 2018, and temporary. Wards attorneys said its far too late for Ward to receive a fair trial. @WardInnocentMan. Ward was featured in the Netflix. mail Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal . "They have now been in prison for 31 years, serving hard time for a murder committed by someone else. 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. 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. The attorney generals office now has 20 days to respond. Tommy Ward has been in prison for 35 years and was supposed to be released today after a judge dismissed Ward's murder conviction. Fontenot was sentenced to death again but Ward was sentenced to life in prison, according to The Oklahoman. Breaking news: Judge orders Tommy released and vacates his conviction. 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.
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