Appears the state will retry Karl Fontenot, who was released 2 years ago and subject of #netflix special. 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'. But now, Wards release has been blocked by the state Attorney Generals Office. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. 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. and his videos on social media have racked up millions of views. 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. She doesnt believe he could be given a fair trial after more than 30 years. Donate to The Frontier to support local independent investigative journalism. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. 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 and Thomas Ward were convicted of killing Ada convenience store clerk Donna Denice Haraway in 1984. In 2020, District Judge Paula Inge vacated his conviction, dismissed the charges against him, and ordered him set free. Heres a link to the decision https://t.co/21UQag7LEi, Tommy Ward: The Innocent Man (@WardInnocentMan) December 19, 2020. - QUINCY JONES, 27 time GRAMMY-award-winning producer "A fine singer A lovely, silky voice." Tommy Ward is a critically acclaimed singer and entertainer from Las Vegas who has a deep love and appreciation for legendary musicians and crooners. Back in December a Ponotoc County judge overturned Wards conviction saying prosecutors withheld evidence in the case. We promise to never spam you. 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.. By: Dana Hertneky. Ward is currently still in prison while the appeals process continues. But one day before Ward's release, a temporary stay,. Last week, a Pontotoc County District Court judge ordered Tommy Ward be released from prison. Oklahoma Attorney General's Office Appeals Release Of Tommy Ward 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 has been recommended for parole at least twice, but turned down by the board in Oklahoma. 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. Denice Haraway of Ada, Oklahoma went in for an ordinary day of work at her convenience store job on April 28, 1984. 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. The attorneys claim a trove of hundreds of new documents uncovered in a police storage room back up Fontenots claims of innocence. sharing the stories, pictures and loves of Oklahomans across our great state. Breaking news: Judge orders Tommy released and vacates his conviction. Tommy has been recommended for parole at least twice, but turned down by the board in Oklahoma. Ward's attorney, Mark Barrett, will also be filing an appeal for exoneration. She was 24. Since the age of 16, Ward has had the opportunity to work alongside industry veterans and legends. Oklahoma Attorney General responds to innocence claims by 'Innocent Man Breaking news: Judge orders Tommy released and vacates his conviction. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal . 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. The two insisted they were innocent, but still ended up convicted of Haraway's murder. Subscribe and Follow on Facebook and YouTube for the latest music. 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. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. He is 54 years old and is being held at the at the North Fork Correctional Center in Sayre in Oklahoma. Judge vacates Tommy Ward's sentences in 'The Innocent Man' case 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. Last week, a Pontotoc County District Court judge ordered Tommy Ward be released from prison. Attorneys in Ada 'Innocent Man' murder case 'blown away' by content of Fontenot was released from prison after a federal judge in Oklahoma ruled in 2019 that the state committed numerous constitutional violations. Instead, she had died from a gunshot wound. Tommy Ward, 61, and Karl Fontenot, 58, were . [Warning: Spoilers for "The Innocent Man" ahead!]. Ward's case was the focus of the Netflix documentary "The Innocent Man, " which was released in 2018. Justices should reject the states request to review the case because the evidence in this case qualifies as new evidence of actual innocence under any definition of new evidence, Fontenots lawyers argued. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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. Keep up-to-date with everything that happens in your world. The Official YouTube Channel of Tommy Ward. About Tommy Ward You can opt-out at any time. 2022 Reader's Choice Winners . Heres a link to the decision, Mark Barrett & The Center on Wrongful Convictions tweeted, with the legal documents confirming the move attached. Fontenot. "They said I had a choice to write it or tape it. Please refer to our. Both have excellent teams of lawyers who continue to work for their release.. Ward's accurate description of the blouse was the only information that he gave that was correct in his confession, Barrett said. Fontenot was released from prison about one year ago after a federal judge found he also didnt receive a fair trial. 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. He is now 58 years old and says he will not admit guilt even if it means improving his chances at parole. The organization has not offered an update on the status of their efforts. He is currently serving time at the Dick Conner Correctional Center in Hominy in Oklahoma. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Haraway was working as a clerk in a convenience store when she went missing in Ada in 1984. The most recent exculpatory disclosure came in 2019, 31 years after Fontenots conviction.. This contradicted the confessions, which stated that Haraway had been stabbed to death. tommy ward released 2022 It was later upheld when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the state's appeal. He often uses his platform to raise awareness for various charitable causes and uses his talents to give back to his community. 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. Wards attorneys said its far too late for Ward to receive a fair trial. Local prosecutors again secured their convictions, based largely on their confessions. 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. 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. 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. Both are model prisoners. 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. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? The convictions were based almost entirely on accounts they said they retrieved from dreams. 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. 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. I received Christmas cards last week from both Tommy Ward and Karl Fontenot, so we keep in touch," Grisham said. 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. 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 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. Oklahoma court reinstates murder conviction of Tommy Ward 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. The state court of criminal appeals voted unanimously to reinstate Tommy Ward's murder conviction. Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna Denice Haraway. They cant. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Tommy's legal team dedicated to freeing Tommy Ward from prison for a crime he did not commit.. Tommy Ward - Official Site Its clear as day.. This is new info, and were trying to figure what this means right now. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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. Karl Fontenot, Tommy Ward. 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. 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'. Prisoner seen in Netflix's The Innocent Man has murder conviction Tommy Ward, Convicted Murderer and Subject of Netflix's 'The - TheWrap The Oklahoma attorney generals office, which appealed Inges order, declined to comment on Thursdays ruling. Ward has also had a widely celebrated opening act run for comedy legend Louie Anderson during his tenure at the Plaza Hotel. 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 For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His Release From Jail. News9.com is proud to provide Oklahomans with timely and relevant news and information, Also Read: 'The Innocent Man': Netflix Sets December Launch for Docuseries Based on John Grisham Book. Judge vacates sentence; Tommy Ward to be set free