Tommy Ward is a critically acclaimed singer and entertainer from Las Vegas who has a deep love and appreciation for legendary musicians and crooners. The newlywed college student worked as a clerk there at night. 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. The two insisted they were innocent, but still ended up convicted of Haraway's murder. The attorney generals office now has 20 days to respond. 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. 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. Ada store clerk Denice Haraway was abducted and killed on April 28, 1984. . So thats the reason I gave them an untrue statement so they would leave me alone.. We promise to never spam you. Both Ward and . 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. Tommy Ward has been in prison for 35 years and was supposed to be released today after a judge dismissed Ward's murder conviction. She said police and prosecutors withheld evidence that would have assisted Wards defense. As a nonprofit news organization,The Frontieris funded by tax-deductible donations made by people who support quality journalism. 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. 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. Oct 28, 2022. Fontenots and Wards attorneys did not respond to requests for comment. 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. have asked the court of appeals . She doesnt believe he could be given a fair trial after more than 30 years. 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. Last week, a Pontotoc County District Court judge ordered Tommy Ward be released from prison. "They have now been in prison for 31 years, serving hard time for a murder committed by someone else. [email protected] | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use. Denice Haraway of Ada, Oklahoma went in for an ordinary day of work at her convenience store job on April 28, 1984. Critically acclaimed singer, musician, and entertainer. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal . An autopsy showed evidence that she had been shot and no sign that she had been stabbed, per The AP. Courtesy Netflix. PublishedDecember 26, 2020 at 10:50 AM CST, KGOU | 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. Ward and Fontenot were both granted a retrial a few years later, and again found guilty of Haraway's death. Also Read: 'The Innocent Man': Netflix Sets December Launch for Docuseries Based on John Grisham Book. Forget Me Not EP available now on all major platforms. 19 talking about this. Last week, a Pontotoc County District Court judge ordered Tommy Ward be released from prison. The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals on Friday reinstated Tommy Ward's murder conviction in an infamous 1984 case out of Ada. 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. We promise to never spam you. 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. 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. 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's accurate description of the blouse was the only information that he gave that was correct in his confession, Barrett said. 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. Fontenot, now 57,was tried twice and given the death penalty both times, though a retrial error led to a new sentence of life without parole. Barrett noted that the appeals court ordered the lower court to consider an additional claim regarding new evidence discovered in 2019. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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. Tuesday, July 6th 2021, 11:00 pm. 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. In 2020, District Judge Paula Inge vacated his conviction, dismissed the charges against him, and ordered him set free. 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. 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 judge said newly discovered evidence about Fontenot's alibi and other suspects in the murder provided "solid proof" of his probable innocence. sharing the stories, pictures and loves of Oklahomans across our great state. But now, Wards release has been blocked by the state Attorney Generals Office. Ward is a hardworking and dedicated artist who continues to make a name for himself in the entertainment industry. A state judge overturned Wards conviction in 2020, but the Oklahoma Attorney Generals Office has appealed the ruling. 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. Fontenot was released from prison after a federal judge in Oklahoma ruled in 2019 that the state committed numerous constitutional violations. The Official YouTube Channel of Tommy Ward. Ward and Fontenot were sentenced to death on January 21, 1985 after being found guilty of murdering Haraway. 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. Ward is currently still in prison while the appeals process continues. 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. Fontenots conviction was overturned in 2019, and he was freed pending an appeal by the state. Fontenot has been released pending a decision from the United States 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. Tommy has been recommended for parole at least twice, but turned down by the board in Oklahoma. 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. Courtesy. 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 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. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. Ward's case was the focus of the Netflix documentary "The Innocent Man, " which was released in 2018. She decided to vacate Wards conviction and life sentence, and ordered his release. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Keep up-to-date with everything that happens in your world. 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. Please refer to our. 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. Heres a link to the decision, Mark Barrett & The Center on Wrongful Convictions tweeted, with the legal documents confirming the move attached. He's very disappointed that he's still in prison for a murder he didn't commit, Ward's attorney, Mark Barrett, said Tuesday. 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. Tweet attempted to take on Fontenot's case in 2013, a 2017 interview with The Marshall Project. 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. The state court of criminal appeals voted unanimously to reinstate Tommy Ward's murder conviction. The judge said newly discovered evidence about Fontenots alibi and other suspects in the murder provided solid proof of his probable innocence. Position: WR Height: 6-0 Weight: 190 College: Rutgers Hometown: Canton, PA High School: Canton HS 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.. 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'. Tommy Ward is a critically acclaimed singer and entertainer from Las Vegas who has a deep love and appreciation for legendary musicians and crooners. He is 54 years old and is being held at the at the North Fork Correctional Center in Sayre in Oklahoma. He is now 58 years old and says he will not admit guilt even if it means improving his chances at parole. 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. 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. 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 was convicted in the case in 1989 along with a co-defendant named Karl Fontenot. 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. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. Karl Fontenot, Tommy Ward. His conviction is the subject of the Netflix docu-series "The . Fight for his release from jail crime Netflix Series was released back in 2018, and temporary. Both Ward and Fontenot would go on to recant their confessions. Please refer to our. 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. In a 2017 interview with The Marshall Project, the author discussed their fates. 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 convictions were based almost entirely on accounts they said they retrieved from dreams. 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. He is currently serving time at the Dick Conner Correctional Center in Hominy in Oklahoma. 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. More to come. 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. 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. Attorneys For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His Release From Jail. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Ward is currently still in prison while the appeals process continues. - STEVE WYNN, founder Wynn Resorts "I just saw Tommy in Las Vegas at a corporate event and I was BLOWN AWAY. John 3:16. Share. More to come. Wards attorneys said its far too late for Ward to receive a fair trial. In addition to his impressive performances, Ward has a true passion for music and the arts. The Official YouTube Channel of Tommy Ward. Heres a link to the decision https://t.co/21UQag7LEi, Tommy Ward: The Innocent Man (@WardInnocentMan) December 19, 2020. More:Oklahoma Army veteran gets probation for role in Jan. 6 US Capitol riot. 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. Ward is the subject of a Netflix docuseries and a book by John Grisham. 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 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.. Keep up-to-date with everything that happens in your world. In June this year, the US Supreme Court refused to take up the case and to examine the states appeal. Tommy Ward was scheduled to be released in December 2020, but . Start your Independent Premium subscription today. 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 judge found Tommy Ward didnt get a fair trial. The judge also called the evidence against Ward circumstantial and said nearly all of the details in his confession were inaccurate. 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. 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. At time of writing, he is still serving his life sentence without the possibility of parole, and is now 54 years old. Its clear as day.. 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