have asked the court of appeals . Last week, a Pontotoc County District Court judge ordered Tommy Ward be released from prison. Back in December a Ponotoc County judge overturned Wards conviction saying prosecutors withheld evidence in the case. The judge found Tommy Ward didnt get a fair trial. But one day before Ward's release, a temporary stay,. Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER, FIRST TAKE, 'The Innocent Man': Netflix Sets December Launch for Docuseries Based on John Grisham Book. 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. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Barrett noted that the appeals court ordered the lower court to consider an additional claim regarding new evidence discovered in 2019. 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. Ward was featured in the Netflix. More to come. 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.. 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. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Also Read: 'The Innocent Man': Netflix Sets December Launch for Docuseries Based on John Grisham Book. YOU'VE REACHED YOUR MONTHLY ARTICLE LIMIT. Wards attorneys said its far too late for Ward to receive a fair trial. 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. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Fontenot was released from prison after a federal judge in Oklahoma ruled in 2019 that the state committed numerous constitutional violations. A spokeswoman for Attorney General John OConnor declined to comment on the pending cases. 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. 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! Ward's case, and others, have been the. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. Ward's accurate description of the blouse was the only information that he gave that was correct in his confession, Barrett said. 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. They cant. Which they did after I taped the statement," Fontenot said almost immediately after his interrogation, as described in Grisham's book. 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. 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. 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. Wards attorneys said its far too late for Ward to receive a fair trial. Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna Denice Haraway. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. 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. I agree with TheWrap's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and provide my consent to receive marketing communications from them. Oct 28, 2022. 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.. "Everything about their confession has been proven wrong by the discovery of the body," attorney Janet Davis noted in the documentary. 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. Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna "Denice" Haraway. Since the age of 16, Ward has had the opportunity to work alongside industry veterans and legends. 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. This is new info, and were trying to figure what this means right now. 2022 Reader's Choice Winners . 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 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. 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'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. Instead, she had died from a gunshot wound. 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. Fight for his release from jail crime Netflix Series was released back in 2018, and temporary. 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. We are pressing forward exploring the possibility of going to federal court with additional appeals, Barrett said. Appears the state will retry Karl Fontenot, who was released 2 years ago and subject of #netflix special. 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. 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. [Warning: Spoilers for "The Innocent Man" ahead!]. 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. 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. In June this year, the US Supreme Court refused to take up the case and to examine the states appeal. The. Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna Denice Haraway. . Fontenot. Both have excellent teams of lawyers who continue to work for their release.. Fontenots and Wards attorneys did not respond to requests for comment. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and filming for Halloween Ends to release on October 14, 2022 with! 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. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. Among Fontenots legal team is Donald B. VerrilliJr., the U.S. solicitor general from 2011 to 2016. He reminds me of working with Frank Sinatra in some strange way." Ward was convicted alongside Karl Fontenot for murdering Donna Harraway in Ada. 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. Ward remains in prison as the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals weighs his case. However, she would never be seen alive again. Ward is currently still in prison while the appeals process continues. 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. Keep up-to-date with everything that happens in your world. 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. Haraways body was located after the convictions. The most recent exculpatory disclosure came in 2019, 31 years after Fontenots 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. I received Christmas cards last week from both Tommy Ward and Karl Fontenot, so we keep in touch," Grisham said. 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. More:Oklahoma Army veteran gets probation for role in Jan. 6 US Capitol riot. 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. The attorney generals office now has 20 days to respond. 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 convictions were based almost entirely on accounts they said they retrieved from dreams. remains wrongfully imprisoned . "They have now been in prison for 31 years, serving hard time for a murder committed by someone else. Its clear as day.. 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. An autopsy showed evidence that she had been shot and no sign that she had been stabbed, per The AP. He is 54 years old and is being held at the at the North Fork Correctional Center in Sayre in Oklahoma. The 10th U.S. The Official YouTube Channel of Tommy Ward. 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'. Ada store clerk Denice Haraway was abducted and killed on April 28, 1984. . Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! It was based on the 2006 true-crime book The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town by John Grisham. 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. Forget Me Not EP available now on all major platforms. Fontenots conviction was overturned in 2019, and he was freed pending an appeal by the state. Fontenot, Wards co-defendant, was ordered released by a federal judge in 2019, and the state is also appealing that order. Position: WR Height: 6-0 Weight: 190 College: Rutgers Hometown: Canton, PA High School: Canton HS The attorneys claim a trove of hundreds of new documents uncovered in a police storage room back up Fontenots claims of innocence. 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. 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. Fontenot is free on bond as the appeals process plays out. 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. 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. Tuesday, July 6th 2021, 11:00 pm. Breaking news: Judge orders Tommy released and vacates his conviction. 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. So where are the two men now, more than 30 years later? attempted to take on Fontenot's case in 2013, a 2017 interview with The Marshall Project. More damningly, Haraway had not been been stabbed as the young men had described. The two insisted they were innocent, but still ended up convicted of Haraway's murder. Ward and Fontenot were both granted a retrial a few years later, and again found guilty of Haraway's death. sharing the stories, pictures and loves of Oklahomans across our great state. 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.. Oklahomas Court of Criminal Appeals, however, argued that the district court had abused its discretion in that instance. When you read their briefs, they dont take issue with the fact that this information was withheld from him. and his videos on social media have racked up millions of views. Fontenot and Thomas Ward were convicted of killing Ada convenience store clerk Donna Denice Haraway in 1984. Fontenot was sentenced to death again but Ward was sentenced to life in prison, according to The Oklahoman. 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 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. News9.com is proud to provide Oklahomans with timely and relevant news and information, 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. Ward is currently still in prison while the appeals process continues. 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. Tommy Ward is still behind bars waiting for an appeal. 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. A federal judge in Muskogee overturned Fontenot's conviction in late 2019. The Court of Criminal Appeals ordered Tommy Ward, 60, to remain imprisoned while the state appeals the lower courts ruling that he be released. Tommy Ward to be set free . This is new info, and were trying to figure what this means right now. The attorney generals office now has 20 days to respond. 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. 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.. - QUINCY JONES, 27 time GRAMMY-award-winning producer "A fine singer A lovely, silky voice." Subscribe for the latest music videos, performances, and more!Tommy's new album "From This Moment On" available n. Justices may determine before the courts term ends this summer whether to review the case. John 3:16. The Oklahoma attorney general is appealing the ruling. He often uses his platform to raise awareness for various charitable causes and uses his talents to give back to his community. 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. At time of writing, he is still serving his life sentence without the possibility of parole, and is now 54 years old. sharing the stories, pictures and loves of Oklahomans across our great state. 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.. Karl Fontenot, Tommy Ward. - STEVE WYNN, founder Wynn Resorts "I just saw Tommy in Las Vegas at a corporate event and I was BLOWN AWAY. Tommy Ward was one of two men serving a life sentence for the 1984 murder of Denice Haraway in Ada.