Tuesday, July 6th 2021, 11:00 pm. Its clear as day.. 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! 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. 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. 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. Fontenot. But one day before Ward's release, a temporary stay,. PublishedDecember 26, 2020 at 10:50 AM CST, KGOU | Keep up-to-date with everything that happens in your world. Courtesy Netflix. 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.. I received Christmas cards last week from both Tommy Ward and Karl Fontenot, so we keep in touch," Grisham said. Ward was convicted in the case in 1989 along with a co-defendant named Karl Fontenot. Fontenot's case was picked up by The Innocence Project in 2011, but there's . So thats the reason I gave them an untrue statement so they would leave me alone.. At time of writing, he is still serving his life sentence without the possibility of parole, and is now 54 years old. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. Tommy has been recommended for parole at least twice, but turned down by the board in Oklahoma. 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 courts ruling that he be released. OK man arrested for. 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. Timmy Ward gamelogs for the 2022 season. The most recent exculpatory disclosure came in 2019, 31 years after Fontenots conviction.. Fontenot is currently awaiting the results of a federal appeal. mail Though no physical evidence tied them to Haraways disappearance, Fontenot and Ward initially confessed to the crime after questioning by investigators. 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. The judge said newly discovered evidence about Fontenots alibi and other suspects in the murder provided solid proof of his probable innocence. Subscribe for the latest music videos, performances, and more!Tommy's new album "From This Moment On" available n. The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals on Friday reinstated Tommy Ward's murder conviction in an infamous 1984 case out of Ada. Fontenot was sentenced to death again but Ward was sentenced to life in prison, according to The Oklahoman. Ward's case was the focus of the Netflix documentary "The Innocent Man, " which was released in 2018. 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. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? 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.. Haraway was working as a clerk in a convenience store when she went missing in Ada in 1984. She was 24. 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. attempted to take on Fontenot's case in 2013, a 2017 interview with The Marshall Project. Last week, a Pontotoc County District Court judge ordered Tommy Ward be released from prison. 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. 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.. More to come. 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 . Ada store clerk Denice Haraway was abducted and killed on April 28, 1984. . remains wrongfully imprisoned . Instead, she had died from a gunshot wound. Among Fontenots legal team is Donald B. VerrilliJr., the U.S. solicitor general from 2011 to 2016. "Everything about their confession has been proven wrong by the discovery of the body," attorney Janet Davis noted in the documentary. 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. Tommy Ward has been in prison 35 years for a murder he swears he did not commit. 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. Since the age of 16, Ward has had the opportunity to work alongside industry veterans and legends. Oklahomas Court of Criminal Appeals, however, argued that the district court had abused its discretion in that instance. 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. 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. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and filming for Halloween Ends to release on October 14, 2022 with! A state judge overturned Wards conviction in 2020, but the Oklahoma Attorney Generals Office has appealed the ruling. Karl Fontenot, Tommy Ward. 19 talking about this. The Oklahoma attorney general is appealing the ruling. He reminds me of working with Frank Sinatra in some strange way." 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. John 3:16. 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 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. An autopsy showed evidence that she had been shot and no sign that she had been stabbed, per The AP. (Oklahoma Department of Corrections via AP), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Also Read: 'The Innocent Man': Netflix Sets December Launch for Docuseries Based on John Grisham Book. Fontenot has been released pending a decision from the United States 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. Ward is currently still in prison while the appeals process continues. 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. YOU'VE REACHED YOUR MONTHLY ARTICLE LIMIT. The judge said newly discovered evidence about Fontenot's alibi and other suspects in the murder provided "solid proof" of his probable innocence. 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 are model prisoners. Fontenot was released from prison about one year ago after a federal judge found he also didnt receive a fair trial. Please refer to our. 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. The state also claims witnesses saw men matching Ward and Fontenots descriptions in the convenience store where Haraway worked before she disappeared. However, she would never be seen alive again. Wards attorneys said its far too late for Ward to receive a fair trial. 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. 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. 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. "They said I had a choice to write it or tape it. have asked the court of appeals . Tommy Ward was one of two men serving a life sentence for the 1984 murder of Denice Haraway in Ada. We promise to never spam you. 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. Tommy Ward was scheduled to be released in December 2020, but . Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna Denice Haraway. Fight for his release from jail crime Netflix Series was released back in 2018, and temporary. In a 2017 interview with The Marshall Project, the author discussed their fates. 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. 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. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. More to come. 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. Please refer to our. Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna Denice Haraway. Which they did after I taped the statement," Fontenot said almost immediately after his interrogation, as described in Grisham's book. Ward is currently still in prison while the appeals process continues. Tommy Ward is still behind bars waiting for an appeal. 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 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. He's very disappointed that he's still in prison for a murder he didn't commit, Ward's attorney, Mark Barrett, said Tuesday. 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. This contradicted the confessions, which stated that Haraway had been stabbed to death. Tommy Ward to be set free . Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. To the extent that this could be the next Sinatra of our time." Wards attorneys said its far too late for Ward to receive a fair trial. Ward has also had a widely celebrated opening act run for comedy legend Louie Anderson during his tenure at the Plaza Hotel. He is currently serving time at the Dick Conner Correctional Center in Hominy in Oklahoma. Ward was convicted alongside Karl Fontenot for murdering Donna Harraway in Ada. Fontenot and Thomas Ward were convicted of killing Ada convenience store clerk Donna Denice Haraway in 1984. 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. 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.. 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. 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. 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. 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. and his videos on social media have racked up millions of views. Tommy Ward is a critically acclaimed singer and entertainer from Las Vegas who has a deep love and appreciation for legendary musicians and crooners. 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'. Ward's attorney, Mark Barrett, will also be filing an appeal for exoneration. 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. The. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. He is now 58 years old and says he will not admit guilt even if it means improving his chances at parole. That evidence includes previously undisclosed suspects and whether police provided Ward with information about the victim's blouse, which prosecutors said he had described. The Official YouTube Channel of Tommy Ward. 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 agree with TheWrap's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and provide my consent to receive marketing communications from them. The victim, Donna Denice Haraway, disappeared from the McAnally's convenience store in Ada on April 28, 1984. His conviction is the subject of the Netflix docu-series "The . Fontenots and Wards attorneys did not respond to requests for comment. 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. The organization has not offered an update on the status of their efforts. Fontenot was released from prison after a federal judge in Oklahoma ruled in 2019 that the state committed numerous constitutional violations. The judge also called the evidence against Ward circumstantial and said nearly all of the details in his confession were inaccurate. Oklahoma Attorney General's Office Appeals Release Of Tommy Ward. You can opt-out at any time. Justices may determine before the courts term ends this summer whether to review the case. Attorneys For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His Release From Jail. 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. 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. 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. In both Ward and Fontenots cases, judges issued rulings excoriating investigators for withholding favorable evidence from defense attorneys. Share. The attorney generals office now has 20 days to respond. 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. 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.