Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna Denice Haraway. 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. Ada store clerk Denice Haraway was abducted and killed on April 28, 1984. . He often uses his platform to raise awareness for various charitable causes and uses his talents to give back to his community. 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. 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. 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'. All rights reserved. In 2020, District Judge Paula Inge vacated his conviction, dismissed the charges against him, and ordered him set free. 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. Donate to The Frontier to support local independent investigative journalism. 2023 www.oklahoman.com. An autopsy showed evidence that she had been shot and no sign that she had been stabbed, per The AP. Denice Haraway of Ada, Oklahoma went in for an ordinary day of work at her convenience store job on April 28, 1984. Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna "Denice" Haraway. 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. 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. Both Ward and Fontenot would go on to recant their confessions. Fontenot and Thomas Ward were convicted of killing Ada convenience store clerk Donna Denice Haraway in 1984. mail Also Read: 'The Innocent Man': Netflix Sets December Launch for Docuseries Based on John Grisham Book. 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. 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. Fontenots death sentence was later reduced to life before his conviction was reversed by a federal appeals court. 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. 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. - STEVE WYNN, founder Wynn Resorts "I just saw Tommy in Las Vegas at a corporate event and I was BLOWN AWAY. You can opt-out at any time. 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. 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. Ward is currently still in prison while the appeals process continues. Heres a link to the decision, Mark Barrett & The Center on Wrongful Convictions tweeted, with the legal documents confirming the move attached. 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. 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 newlywed college student worked as a clerk there at night. 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. Position: WR Height: 6-0 Weight: 190 College: Rutgers Hometown: Canton, PA High School: Canton HS 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. Ward was convicted alongside Karl Fontenot for murdering Donna Harraway in Ada. 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. The victim, Donna Denice Haraway, disappeared from the McAnally's convenience store in Ada on April 28, 1984. 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. 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. - QUINCY JONES, 27 time GRAMMY-award-winning producer "A fine singer A lovely, silky voice." Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? The Oklahoma attorney general is appealing the ruling. Tommy Ward was one of two men serving a life sentence for the 1984 murder of Denice Haraway in Ada. Tommy Ward to be set free . 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. Fontenot, 57 and Tommy Ward, 61, were both twice convicted in Haraways murder. Oklahomas Court of Criminal Appeals, however, argued that the district court had abused its discretion in that instance. Fontenot has been released pending a decision from the United States 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna Denice Haraway. remains wrongfully imprisoned . But one day before Ward's release, a temporary stay,. Among Fontenots legal team is Donald B. VerrilliJr., the U.S. solicitor general from 2011 to 2016. Ward is a hardworking and dedicated artist who continues to make a name for himself in the entertainment industry. Please refer to our. Breaking news: Judge orders Tommy released and vacates his conviction. Please refer to our. 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 remains in prison as the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals weighs his case. The attorney generals office now has 20 days to respond. It was based on the 2006 true-crime book The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town by John Grisham. "They have now been in prison for 31 years, serving hard time for a murder committed by someone else. More to come. 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. The Official YouTube Channel of Tommy Ward. "Tommy is the epitome of great music. Tommy Ward has been in prison 35 years for a murder he swears he did not commit. 2022 Reader's Choice Winners . 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. Ward was convicted in the case in 1989 along with a co-defendant named Karl Fontenot. Newson6.com is proud to provide Oklahomans with timely and relevant news and information, Ward's case was the focus of the Netflix documentary "The Innocent Man, " which was released in 2018. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. 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. 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. 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. Ward's accurate description of the blouse was the only information that he gave that was correct in his confession, Barrett said. Though no physical evidence tied them to Haraways disappearance, Fontenot and Ward initially confessed to the crime after questioning by investigators. More to come. Ward was featured in the Netflix. Oklahoma Attorney General's Office Appeals Release Of Tommy Ward. 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 . Tuesday, July 6th 2021, 11:00 pm. This is new info, and were trying to figure what this means right now. 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. Tommy's legal team dedicated to freeing Tommy Ward from prison for a crime he did not commit.. Back in December a Ponotoc County judge overturned Wards conviction saying prosecutors withheld evidence in the case. He is currently serving time at the Dick Conner Correctional Center in Hominy in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals on Friday reinstated Tommy Ward's murder conviction in an infamous 1984 case out of Ada. 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. Fontenot is free on bond as the appeals process plays out. Both Ward and . 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 has been recommended for parole at least twice, but turned down by the board in Oklahoma. 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.. 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. Ward's attorney, Mark Barrett, will also be filing an appeal for exoneration. PublishedDecember 26, 2020 at 10:50 AM CST, KGOU | Fontenot, Wards co-defendant, was ordered released by a federal judge in 2019, and the state is also appealing that order. By: Dana Hertneky. We cant do it without your support. 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. So where are the two men now, more than 30 years later? Instead, she had died from a gunshot wound. As a nonprofit news organization,The Frontieris funded by tax-deductible donations made by people who support quality journalism. Share sharing the stories, pictures and loves of Oklahomans across our great state. - BART TORRES, 99.7FM The Highway Vibe. The Oklahoma attorney general is appealing the ruling. This is new info, and were trying to figure what this means right now. Last week, a Pontotoc County District Court judge ordered Tommy Ward be released from prison. @WardInnocentMan. Ward's most recent recording, "Home" with GRAMMY nominated country artist Mark Winston Kirk, is currently in the Top 100 on regional radio and is being played in more than 15 states across the United States, including Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina. Wards attorneys said its far too late for Ward to receive a fair trial. You can opt-out at any time. Both are model prisoners. He reminds me of working with Frank Sinatra in some strange way." The judge said newly discovered evidence about Fontenots alibi and other suspects in the murder provided solid proof of his probable innocence. We promise to never spam you. Fontenot's case was picked up by The Innocence Project in 2011, but there's . The attorneys claim a trove of hundreds of new documents uncovered in a police storage room back up Fontenots claims of innocence. Haraways body was located after the convictions. The Official YouTube Channel of Tommy Ward. The investigators seem to have taken on the role of prosecutor, judge and jury, determining that the only relevant evidence was evidence that fit their theory of the case.. "They said I had a choice to write it or tape it. Courtesy. (Oklahoma Department of Corrections via AP), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Ward and Fontenot were sentenced to death on January 21, 1985 after being found guilty of murdering Haraway. 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 was released in December 2019 at the age of 55 after a federal judge ordered he be released or retried. 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. Advertisement On Friday, a judge vacated Ward's convictions and sentences, dismissed the charges and . 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. Attorneys For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His Release From Jail. 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. Fontenots conviction was overturned in 2019, and he was freed pending an appeal by the state. The judge found Tommy Ward didnt get a fair trial. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. 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. Tommy Ward, 61, and Karl Fontenot, 58, were . They cant. Back in December a Ponotoc County judge overturned Wards conviction saying prosecutors withheld evidence in the case. 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 state court of criminal appeals voted unanimously to reinstate Tommy Ward's murder conviction. 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. Fontenot was released from prison after a federal judge in Oklahoma ruled in 2019 that the state committed numerous constitutional violations. Thomas Ward, known to the public as Tommy Ward, was convicted in 1999 of the 1984 murder of Donna Denice Haraway in Ada, Oklahoma. He is 54 years old and is being held at the at the North Fork Correctional Center in Sayre in Oklahoma. 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. So thats the reason I gave them an untrue statement so they would leave me alone.. 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. Barrett noted that the appeals court ordered the lower court to consider an additional claim regarding new evidence discovered in 2019. Ward is currently still in prison while the appeals process continues. 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. Fontenot. 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.. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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. 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 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. OK man arrested for. 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. Tommy Ward is a critically acclaimed singer and entertainer from Las Vegas who has a deep love and appreciation for legendary musicians and crooners. "Everything about their confession has been proven wrong by the discovery of the body," attorney Janet Davis noted in the documentary. 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. The state also claims witnesses saw men matching Ward and Fontenots descriptions in the convenience store where Haraway worked before she disappeared. In June this year, the US Supreme Court refused to take up the case and to examine the states appeal. . 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. Critically acclaimed singer, musician, and entertainer. The Court of Criminal Appeals ordered Tommy Ward, 60, to remain imprisoned while the state appeals the lower courts ruling that he be released. 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. Breaking news: Judge orders Tommy released and vacates his conviction. Fontenot is currently awaiting the results of a federal appeal. But the men quickly recanted and have claimed for decades that police coerced them to say they killed Haraway. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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.. Justices may determine before the courts term ends this summer whether to review the case. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! She said police and prosecutors withheld evidence that would have assisted Wards defense. Its clear as day.. info@tommywardmusic.com | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use. 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. This contradicted the confessions, which stated that Haraway had been stabbed to death. Ward has also had a widely celebrated opening act run for comedy legend Louie Anderson during his tenure at the Plaza Hotel. Fight for his release from jail crime Netflix Series was released back in 2018, and temporary. Want to support our mission to hold powerful people accountable, give a voice to the voiceless, and shine a light on darkness in Oklahoma? 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. SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER, FIRST TAKE, 'The Innocent Man': Netflix Sets December Launch for Docuseries Based on John Grisham Book. But now, Wards release has been blocked by the state Attorney Generals Office. 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. It was later upheld when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the state's appeal. I agree with TheWrap's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and provide my consent to receive marketing communications from them. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. YOU'VE REACHED YOUR MONTHLY ARTICLE LIMIT. The ruling came down Friday from District Judge Paula Inge in Pontotoc County, who concluded in post-conviction finding that the case rested on circumstantial evidence in the form of conflicted witness statements and Wards inculpatory statements he gave to police. The two insisted they were innocent, but still ended up convicted of Haraway's murder. 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. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. 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 is still behind bars waiting for an appeal. 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. More damningly, Haraway had not been been stabbed as the young men had described. 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. 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. To the extent that this could be the next Sinatra of our time." We are pressing forward exploring the possibility of going to federal court with additional appeals, Barrett said. 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. Haraway was working as a clerk in a convenience store when she went missing in Ada in 1984. He is now 58 years old and says he will not admit guilt even if it means improving his chances at parole. 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. Ward's newly released EP "From This Moment On," (2022) produced by LeCoq Records, showcases his stunning vocal abilities . Keep up-to-date with everything that happens in your world. [Warning: Spoilers for "The Innocent Man" ahead!]. and his videos on social media have racked up millions of views. John 3:16. Courtesy Netflix. Ward and Fontenot were both granted a retrial a few years later, and again found guilty of Haraway's death. Fontenot was sentenced to death again but Ward was sentenced to life in prison, according to The Oklahoman. More:Oklahoma Army veteran gets probation for role in Jan. 6 US Capitol riot. A spokeswoman for Attorney General John OConnor declined to comment on the pending cases. 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.
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