Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Local prosecutors again secured their convictions, based largely on their confessions. 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. "Tommy is the epitome of great music. Ward was convicted in the case in 1989 along with a co-defendant named Karl Fontenot. Wards attorneys said its far too late for Ward to receive a fair trial. Oklahomas Court of Criminal Appeals, however, argued that the district court had abused its discretion in that instance. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals on Friday reinstated Tommy Ward's murder conviction in an infamous 1984 case out of Ada. Critically acclaimed singer, musician, and entertainer. 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 doesnt believe he could be given a fair trial after more than 30 years. Subscribe for the latest music videos, performances, and more!Tommy's new album "From This Moment On" available n. Thomas Ward, known to the public as Tommy Ward, was convicted in 1999 of the 1984 murder of Donna Denice Haraway in Ada, Oklahoma. mail info@tommywardmusic.com | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. The victim, Donna Denice Haraway, disappeared from the McAnally's convenience store in Ada on April 28, 1984. 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. The 10th U.S. 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. Fontenots conviction was overturned in 2019, and he was freed pending an appeal by the state. She decided to vacate Wards conviction and life sentence, and ordered his release. Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. Tommy Ward has been in prison for 35 years and was supposed to be released today after a judge dismissed Ward's murder conviction. The Official YouTube Channel of Tommy Ward. 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. By: Dana Hertneky. We promise to never spam you. 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. 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.. Fontenot, Wards co-defendant, was ordered released by a federal judge in 2019, and the state is also appealing that order. 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. He is currently serving time at the Dick Conner Correctional Center in Hominy in Oklahoma. We promise to never spam you. The most recent exculpatory disclosure came in 2019, 31 years after Fontenots conviction.. 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 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. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Since the age of 16, Ward has had the opportunity to work alongside industry veterans and legends. John Grisham continues to correspond with both men. 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. SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER, FIRST TAKE, 'The Innocent Man': Netflix Sets December Launch for Docuseries Based on John Grisham Book. 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. Ward was featured in the Netflix. 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. A federal judge in Muskogee overturned Fontenot's conviction in late 2019. She was 24. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. 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. The. 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. Oklahoma Attorney General's Office Appeals Release Of Tommy Ward. Share Subscribe for the latest music videos, performances, and more!Tommy's new album "From This Moment On" available n. Both are model prisoners. The state court of criminal appeals voted unanimously to reinstate Tommy Ward's murder conviction. Last week, a Pontotoc County District Court judge ordered Tommy Ward be released from prison. 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. Breaking news: Judge orders Tommy released and vacates his conviction. 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. Tommy Ward has been in prison 35 years for a murder he swears he did not commit. Attorneys for a man convicted for the 1984 kidnapping and murder of an Ada woman say they plan to file a federal case to try and overturn his conviction after the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals overturned a lower court's order that would have made him a free man. The attorneys claim a trove of hundreds of new documents uncovered in a police storage room back up Fontenots claims of innocence. Fontenot and Thomas Ward were convicted of killing Ada convenience store clerk Donna Denice Haraway in 1984. 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. Forget Me Not EP available now on all major platforms. Barrett noted that the appeals court ordered the lower court to consider an additional claim regarding new evidence discovered in 2019. The attorney generals office now has 20 days to respond. At only 25 years old, he has already made a name for himself in the entertainment industry, and his videos on social media have racked up millions of views. 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. He often uses his platform to raise awareness for various charitable causes and uses his talents to give back to his community. Last week, a Pontotoc County District Court judge ordered Tommy Ward be released from prison. To the extent that this could be the next Sinatra of our time." Fontenot was released from prison after a federal judge in Oklahoma ruled in 2019 that the state committed numerous constitutional violations. Please refer to our. I agree with TheWrap's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and provide my consent to receive marketing communications from them. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Want to support our mission to hold powerful people accountable, give a voice to the voiceless, and shine a light on darkness in Oklahoma? Fontenot was released in December 2019 at the age of 55 after a federal judge ordered he be released or retried. Ada store clerk Denice Haraway was abducted and killed on April 28, 1984. . 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. Ward's attorney, Mark Barrett, will also be filing an appeal for exoneration. Which they did after I taped the statement," Fontenot said almost immediately after his interrogation, as described in Grisham's book. Oct 28, 2022. 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. You can opt-out at any time. 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 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. Ward's newly released EP "From This Moment On," (2022) produced by LeCoq Records, showcases his stunning vocal abilities . The convictions were based almost entirely on accounts they said they retrieved from dreams. Ward is currently still in prison while the appeals process continues. Share. 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. Courtesy Netflix. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal . 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 two insisted they were innocent, but still ended up convicted of Haraway's murder. 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. Fontenot was sentenced to death again but Ward was sentenced to life in prison, according to The Oklahoman. The newlywed college student worked as a clerk there at night. 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. 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. In addition to his impressive performances, Ward has a true passion for music and the arts. Fontenot, 57 and Tommy Ward, 61, were both twice convicted in Haraways murder. 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. 19 talking about this. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. 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. Tommy's legal team dedicated to freeing Tommy Ward from prison for a crime he did not commit.. 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. As a nonprofit news organization,The Frontieris funded by tax-deductible donations made by people who support quality journalism. 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. and his videos on social media have racked up millions of views. Fontenot was released from prison after a federal judge in Oklahoma ruled in 2019 that the state committed numerous constitutional violations. You can opt-out at any time. 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 representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. Tommy Ward is a critically acclaimed singer and entertainer from Las Vegas who has a deep love and appreciation for legendary musicians and crooners. In 2020, District Judge Paula Inge vacated his conviction, dismissed the charges against him, and ordered him set free. 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. Karl Fontenot, 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.. 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. 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. I didnt even know what the word 'statement' or 'confessing' meant 'til they told me I confessed to it. 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. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and filming for Halloween Ends to release on October 14, 2022 with! "They said I had a choice to write it or tape it. 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. Tommy has been recommended for parole at least twice, but turned down by the board in Oklahoma. Additional reporting by The Associated Press. 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. Ward is currently still in prison while the appeals process continues. Ward and Fontenot were both granted a retrial a few years later, and again found guilty of Haraway's death. 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. John 3:16. The judge said newly discovered evidence about Fontenot's alibi and other suspects in the murder provided "solid proof" of his probable innocence. Haraway was working as a clerk in a convenience store when she went missing in Ada in 1984. 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 was released from prison about one year ago after a federal judge found he also didnt receive a fair trial. 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! 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. At time of writing, he is still serving his life sentence without the possibility of parole, and is now 54 years old. 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 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.
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