Jonathan Schwartz Harvard, Articles T

Ward's newly released EP "From This Moment On," (2022) produced by LeCoq Records, showcases his stunning vocal abilities . Start your Independent Premium subscription today. He often uses his platform to raise awareness for various charitable causes and uses his talents to give back to his community. More to come. We cant do it without your support. sharing the stories, pictures and loves of Oklahomans across our great state. Fontenot's case was picked up by The Innocence Project in 2011, but there's . The victim, Donna Denice Haraway, disappeared from the McAnally's convenience store in Ada on April 28, 1984. 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 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. The judge said newly discovered evidence about Fontenot's alibi and other suspects in the murder provided "solid proof" of his probable innocence. He reminds me of working with Frank Sinatra in some strange way." 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! 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. Fontenot has been released pending a decision from the United States 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. More to come. 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. 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. 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. Wards attorneys said its far too late for Ward to receive a fair trial. Share. PublishedDecember 26, 2020 at 10:50 AM CST, KGOU | The state court of criminal appeals voted unanimously to reinstate Tommy Ward's murder conviction. Fontenot and Thomas Ward were convicted of killing Ada convenience store clerk Donna Denice Haraway in 1984. ADVERTISEMENT The organization has not offered an update on the status of their efforts. The Oklahoma attorney generals office, which appealed Inges order, declined to comment on Thursdays ruling. "Everything about their confession has been proven wrong by the discovery of the body," attorney Janet Davis noted in the documentary. Keep up-to-date with everything that happens in your world. Tommy Ward, 61, and Karl Fontenot, 58, were . Both are model prisoners. Also Read: 'The Innocent Man': Netflix Sets December Launch for Docuseries Based on John Grisham Book. Since the age of 16, Ward has had the opportunity to work alongside industry veterans and legends. Oct 28, 2022. 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. In her 2020 ruling vacating Wards conviction, Judge Inge pointed to what she said were issues with the evidence in the case, and deemed that due to the passage of time, Ward would not be able to receive a fair trial. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. 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. 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. 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. His conviction is the subject of the Netflix docu-series "The . The Court of Criminal Appeals ordered Tommy Ward, 60, to remain imprisoned while the state appeals the lower courts ruling that he be released. 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. Justices may determine before the courts term ends this summer whether to review the case. Karl Fontenot, Tommy Ward. 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. A spokeswoman for Attorney General John OConnor declined to comment on the pending cases. Want to support our mission to hold powerful people accountable, give a voice to the voiceless, and shine a light on darkness in Oklahoma? Wr Hines Ward - NFL.com /a > attorneys representing Tommy Ward was one of two serving! 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. Please refer to our. The convictions were based almost entirely on accounts they said they retrieved from dreams. 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. Attorneys For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His Release From Jail. Ward and Fontenot were sentenced to death on January 21, 1985 after being found guilty of murdering Haraway. John Grisham continues to correspond with both men. 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. 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. The state also claims witnesses saw men matching Ward and Fontenots descriptions in the convenience store where Haraway worked before she disappeared. The judge also called the evidence against Ward circumstantial and said nearly all of the details in his confession were inaccurate. You can opt-out at any time. SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER, FIRST TAKE, 'The Innocent Man': Netflix Sets December Launch for Docuseries Based on John Grisham Book. This is new info, and were trying to figure what this means right now. The newlywed college student worked as a clerk there at night. 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. It was based on the 2006 true-crime book The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town by John Grisham. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. Ward was convicted in the case in 1989 along with a co-defendant named Karl Fontenot. [Warning: Spoilers for "The Innocent Man" ahead!]. More damningly, Haraway had not been been stabbed as the young men had described. In both Ward and Fontenots cases, judges issued rulings excoriating investigators for withholding favorable evidence from defense attorneys. In June this year, the US Supreme Court refused to take up the case and to examine the states appeal. 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. @WardInnocentMan. Fontenots conviction was overturned in 2019, and he was freed pending an appeal by the state. Ward was featured in the Netflix. Ward is currently still in prison while the appeals process continues. Subscribe for the latest music videos, performances, and more!Tommy's new album "From This Moment On" available n. 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. Oklahomas Court of Criminal Appeals, however, argued that the district court had abused its discretion in that instance. Ada store clerk Denice Haraway was abducted and killed on April 28, 1984. . and his videos on social media have racked up millions of views. Breaking news: Judge orders Tommy released and vacates his conviction. 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 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. 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. The attorney generals office now has 20 days to respond. Fontenot has been released pending a decision from the United States 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. remains wrongfully imprisoned . 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. attempted to take on Fontenot's case in 2013, a 2017 interview with The Marshall Project. Ward remains in prison as the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals weighs his case. Heres a link to the decision https://t.co/21UQag7LEi, Tommy Ward: The Innocent Man (@WardInnocentMan) December 19, 2020. 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. The attorneys claim a trove of hundreds of new documents uncovered in a police storage room back up Fontenots claims of innocence. 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. Attorneys For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His Release From Jail. Oklahoma Attorney General's Office Appeals Release Of Tommy Ward. At time of writing, he is still serving his life sentence without the possibility of parole, and is now 54 years old. He is currently serving time at the Dick Conner Correctional Center in Hominy in Oklahoma. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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. (Oklahoma Department of Corrections via AP), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. have asked the court of appeals . 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 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.. Donate to The Frontier to support local independent investigative journalism. 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. 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. Ward is the subject of a Netflix docuseries and a book by John Grisham. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and filming for Halloween Ends to release on October 14, 2022 with! YOU'VE REACHED YOUR MONTHLY ARTICLE LIMIT. 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. He's very disappointed that he's still in prison for a murder he didn't commit, Ward's attorney, Mark Barrett, said Tuesday. Tommy Ward is a critically acclaimed singer and entertainer from Las Vegas who has a deep love and appreciation for legendary musicians and crooners. Among Fontenots legal team is Donald B. VerrilliJr., the U.S. solicitor general from 2011 to 2016. Tommy has been recommended for parole at least twice, but turned down by the board in Oklahoma. 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. Fontenot is currently awaiting the results of a federal appeal. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. We promise to never spam you. Breaking news: Judge orders Tommy released and vacates his conviction. The Oklahoma attorney general is appealing the ruling. Fontenot was released in December 2019 at the age of 55 after a federal judge ordered he be released or retried. 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.. 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. 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. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Tommy Ward has been in prison for 35 years and was supposed to be released today after a judge dismissed Ward's murder conviction. I didnt even know what the word 'statement' or 'confessing' meant 'til they told me I confessed to it. We are pressing forward exploring the possibility of going to federal court with additional appeals, Barrett said. - QUINCY JONES, 27 time GRAMMY-award-winning producer "A fine singer A lovely, silky voice." Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. 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.. 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. The two insisted they were innocent, but still ended up convicted of Haraway's murder. In a 2017 interview with The Marshall Project, the author discussed their fates. You can opt-out at any time. Share All rights reserved. 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. 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. Additional reporting by The Associated Press. Subscribe and Follow on Facebook and YouTube for the latest music. John 3:16. 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. The judge found Tommy Ward didnt get a fair trial. Appears the state will retry Karl Fontenot, who was released 2 years ago and subject of #netflix special. "They have now been in prison for 31 years, serving hard time for a murder committed by someone else. Keep up-to-date with everything that happens in your world. 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. 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 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. 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. 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.. Fontenot was released from prison about one year ago after a federal judge found he also didnt receive a fair trial. The Oklahoma attorney general is appealing the ruling. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. More:Oklahoma Army veteran gets probation for role in Jan. 6 US Capitol riot. Both Ward and . Though no physical evidence tied them to Haraways disappearance, Fontenot and Ward initially confessed to the crime after questioning by investigators. 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. Fontenots and Wards attorneys did not respond to requests for comment. 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 is a hardworking and dedicated artist who continues to make a name for himself in the entertainment industry. 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. Ward remained in prison while the state appealed the ruling, The Associated Press reported at the time. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Tommy Ward has been in prison 35 years for a murder he swears he did not commit. Forget Me Not EP available now on all major platforms. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal . The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals on Friday reinstated Tommy Ward's murder conviction in an infamous 1984 case out of Ada. 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. 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. 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 judge said newly discovered evidence about Fontenots alibi and other suspects in the murder provided solid proof of his probable innocence. . Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Ward's attorney, Mark Barrett, will also be filing an appeal for exoneration. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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. 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. 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. 2022 Reader's Choice Winners . Both have excellent teams of lawyers who continue to work for their release.. 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. I received Christmas cards last week from both Tommy Ward and Karl Fontenot, so we keep in touch," Grisham said. 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. 7726 5241 Dial by your location +1 346 248 7799 US Are allowed finish! 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: Dana Hertneky. 19 talking about this. 2023 www.oklahoman.com. Tweet 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'. Local prosecutors again secured their convictions, based largely on their confessions. 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. Tommy's legal team dedicated to freeing Tommy Ward from prison for a crime he did not commit.. Wards attorneys said its far too late for Ward to receive a fair trial. Fontenot was released from prison after a federal judge in Oklahoma ruled in 2019 that the state committed numerous constitutional violations.