Oklahomas Court of Criminal Appeals, however, argued that the district court had abused its discretion in that instance. 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. Since the age of 16, Ward has had the opportunity to work alongside industry veterans and legends. Wr Hines Ward - NFL.com /a > attorneys representing Tommy Ward was one of two serving! Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. The newlywed college student worked as a clerk there at night. The attorney generals office now has 20 days to respond. 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. [Warning: Spoilers for "The Innocent Man" ahead!]. She decided to vacate Wards conviction and life sentence, and ordered his release. Tommy has been recommended for parole at least twice, but turned down by the board in Oklahoma. 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. Tommy Ward has been in prison for 35 years and was supposed to be released today after a judge dismissed Ward's murder conviction. Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna Denice Haraway. Haraways body was located after the convictions. 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.. 7726 5241 Dial by your location +1 346 248 7799 US Are allowed finish! Ward is the subject of a Netflix docuseries and a book by John Grisham. Tommy Ward, 61, and Karl Fontenot, 58, were . More to come. Ward was convicted in the case in 1989 along with a co-defendant named Karl Fontenot. By: Dana Hertneky. 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. (Oklahoma Department of Corrections via AP), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Ward's case, and others, have been the. Denice Haraway of Ada, Oklahoma went in for an ordinary day of work at her convenience store job on April 28, 1984. Oct 28, 2022. 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. 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. Tommy Ward is a critically acclaimed singer and entertainer from Las Vegas who has a deep love and appreciation for legendary musicians and crooners. have asked the court of appeals . "They said I had a choice to write it or tape it. Tommy Ward was one of two men serving a life sentence for the 1984 murder of Denice Haraway in Ada. 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. 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. 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.. In both Ward and Fontenots cases, judges issued rulings excoriating investigators for withholding favorable evidence from defense attorneys. Fontenot is currently awaiting the results of a federal appeal. 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. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. 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. 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. 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. Ward remains in prison as the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals weighs his case. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. 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. 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. Fontenot was released in December 2019 at the age of 55 after a federal judge ordered he be released or retried. Subscribe for the latest music videos, performances, and more!Tommy's new album "From This Moment On" available n. 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. Ada store clerk Denice Haraway was abducted and killed on April 28, 1984. . All rights reserved. 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. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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. 19 talking about this. . Both have excellent teams of lawyers who continue to work for their release." The conclusion of "The Innocent Man" docu-series notes that Ward's post-conviction filing has been opposed by the state, but that a judge will review the case in 2019. Tommy's legal team dedicated to freeing Tommy Ward from prison for a crime he did not commit.. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. The two insisted they were innocent, but still ended up convicted of Haraway's murder. To the extent that this could be the next Sinatra of our time." Ward is currently still in prison while the appeals process continues. 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. Tommy Ward has been in prison 35 years for a murder he swears he did not commit. Attorneys For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His Release From Jail. 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. 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. You can opt-out at any time. Karl Fontenot, Tommy Ward. Ward's attorney, Mark Barrett, will also be filing an appeal for exoneration. Wards attorneys said its far too late for Ward to receive a fair trial. sharing the stories, pictures and loves of Oklahomans across our great state. This is new info, and were trying to figure what this means right now. 2023 www.oklahoman.com. 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. Want to support our mission to hold powerful people accountable, give a voice to the voiceless, and shine a light on darkness in Oklahoma? More to come. The organization has not offered an update on the status of their efforts. A state judge overturned Wards conviction in 2020, but the Oklahoma Attorney Generals Office has appealed the ruling. 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. I received Christmas cards last week from both Tommy Ward and Karl Fontenot, so we keep in touch," Grisham said. 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 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. So where are the two men now, more than 30 years later? Donate to The Frontier to support local independent investigative journalism. Fontenots conviction was overturned in 2019, and he was freed pending an appeal by the state. Fontenot is free on bond as the appeals process plays out. Wards attorneys said its far too late for Ward to receive a fair trial. Ward is a hardworking and dedicated artist who continues to make a name for himself in the entertainment industry. Its clear as day.. Fontenots and Wards attorneys did not respond to requests for comment. 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. Both are model prisoners. The conclusion of "The Innocent Man" docu-series notes that Ward's post-conviction filing has been opposed by the state, but that a judge will review the case in 2019. Tommy has been recommended for parole at least twice, but turned down by the board in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals on Friday reinstated Tommy Ward's murder conviction in an infamous 1984 case out of Ada. 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. Fontenot's case was picked up by The Innocence Project in 2011, but there's . - STEVE WYNN, founder Wynn Resorts "I just saw Tommy in Las Vegas at a corporate event and I was BLOWN AWAY. Please refer to our. 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'. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? 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. I didnt even know what the word 'statement' or 'confessing' meant 'til they told me I confessed to it. Keep up-to-date with everything that happens in your world. The judge found Tommy Ward didnt get a fair trial. An Oklahoma judge ruled that the case rested on circumstantial evidence. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! But a Pontotoc County district judge ruled last month that prosecutors withheld key evidence in the case, including witness interviews and police reports, and ordered Wards release. 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. 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.

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