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. Ward's attorney, Mark Barrett, will also be filing an appeal for exoneration. This is new info, and were trying to figure what this means right now. In 2020, District Judge Paula Inge vacated his conviction, dismissed the charges against him, and ordered him set free. The Oklahoma attorney general is appealing the ruling. Ward and Fontenot were both granted a retrial a few years later, and again found guilty of Haraway's death. 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. Tommy Ward one of the subjects of Netflix's true-crime docuseries "The Innocent Man," who was convicted of abduction, rape and the murder of an Oklahoma woman is to be released from . Ward was featured in the Netflix. More to come. The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals on Friday reinstated Tommy Ward's murder conviction in an infamous 1984 case out of Ada. John 3:16. 2023 www.oklahoman.com. Advertisement On Friday, a judge vacated Ward's convictions and sentences, dismissed the charges and . 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 both Ward and Fontenots cases, judges issued rulings excoriating investigators for withholding favorable evidence from defense attorneys. Ward is a hardworking and dedicated artist who continues to make a name for himself in the entertainment industry. 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. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! It was later upheld when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the state's appeal. Attorneys For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His Release From Jail. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal . 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. 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. Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna Denice Haraway. 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.. The state court of criminal appeals voted unanimously to reinstate Tommy Ward's murder conviction. 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. More damningly, Haraway had not been been stabbed as the young men had described. Shot by Shot: Tracking Oklahoma police shootings in 2023, Listen Frontier: Sen. James Lankford speaks with The Frontier about abortion, immigration and more, Frontier content sharing and collaboration terms. 7726 5241 Dial by your location +1 346 248 7799 US Are allowed finish! Additional reporting by The Associated Press. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. tommy ward released 2022 Heres a link to the decision https://t.co/21UQag7LEi, Tommy Ward: The Innocent Man (@WardInnocentMan) December 19, 2020. Attorneys For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His Release From Jail. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. 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 seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna "Denice" Haraway. 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. Back in December a Ponotoc County judge overturned Wards conviction saying prosecutors withheld evidence in the case. Both are model prisoners. Back in December a Ponotoc County judge overturned Wards conviction saying prosecutors withheld evidence in the case. "They said I had a choice to write it or tape it. Oklahomas Court of Criminal Appeals, however, argued that the district court had abused its discretion in that instance. Since the age of 16, Ward has had the opportunity to work alongside industry veterans and legends. 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. He is 54 years old and is being held at the at the North Fork Correctional Center in Sayre in Oklahoma. Courtesy Netflix. Tommy Ward is a critically acclaimed singer and entertainer from Las Vegas who has a deep love and appreciation for legendary musicians and crooners. Tommy Ward- The Innocent Man's Legal Team's Page | Ada OK - Facebook Both Ward and . More to come. 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. Fontenots conviction was overturned in 2019, and he was freed pending an appeal by the state. Freed man in 'Dreams of Ada' case slams state appeal to Supreme Court I received Christmas cards last week from both Tommy Ward and Karl Fontenot, so we keep in touch," Grisham said. 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. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. Courtesy. Ward and Fontenot were sentenced to death on January 21, 1985 after being found guilty of murdering Haraway. sharing the stories, pictures and loves of Oklahomans across our great state. SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER, FIRST TAKE, 'The Innocent Man': Netflix Sets December Launch for Docuseries Based on John Grisham Book. 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. OK man arrested for. 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.. As a nonprofit news organization,The Frontieris funded by tax-deductible donations made by people who support quality journalism. Tommy Ward was scheduled to be released in December 2020, but . Fontenot was released from prison after a federal judge in Oklahoma ruled in 2019 that the state committed numerous constitutional violations. The. In June this year, the US Supreme Court refused to take up the case and to examine the states appeal. Wr Hines Ward - NFL.com /a > attorneys representing Tommy Ward was one of two serving! Fontenot, Wards co-defendant, was ordered released by a federal judge in 2019, and the state is also appealing that order. I didnt even know what the word 'statement' or 'confessing' meant 'til they told me I confessed to it. She said police and prosecutors withheld evidence that would have assisted Wards defense. Ward's accurate description of the blouse was the only information that he gave that was correct in his confession, Barrett said. We are pressing forward exploring the possibility of going to federal court with additional appeals, Barrett said. 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. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. His conviction is the subject of the Netflix docu-series "The . 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. I agree with TheWrap's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and provide my consent to receive marketing communications from them. The two insisted they were innocent, but still ended up convicted of Haraway's murder. - BART TORRES, 99.7FM The Highway Vibe. - QUINCY JONES, 27 time GRAMMY-award-winning producer "A fine singer A lovely, silky voice." We promise to never spam you. Both Ward and Fontenot would go on to recant their confessions. Karl Fontenot: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know | Heavy.com 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. Attorneys in Ada 'Innocent Man' murder case 'blown away' by content of 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. The most recent exculpatory disclosure came in 2019, 31 years after Fontenots conviction.. 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. It was based on the 2006 true-crime book The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town by John Grisham. 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 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. We cant do it without your support. By: Dana Hertneky. Tweet 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. 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! Court Rules 'Innocent Man' Defendant to Remain Imprisoned 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.. attempted to take on Fontenot's case in 2013, a 2017 interview with The Marshall Project. Share 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. Tuesday, July 6th 2021, 11:00 pm. 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. Wards attorneys said its far too late for Ward to receive a fair trial. The judge found Tommy Ward didnt get a fair trial. Fontenot was released in December 2019 at the age of 55 after a federal judge ordered he be released or retried. More:Oklahoma Army veteran gets probation for role in Jan. 6 US Capitol riot. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna Denice Haraway. 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. Judge vacates Tommy Ward's sentences in 'The Innocent Man' case 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. The Official YouTube Channel of 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. 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 10th U.S. Ward was convicted in the case in 1989 along with a co-defendant named Karl Fontenot. Wards attorneys said its far too late for Ward to receive a fair trial. 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. "The Innocent Man" Tommy Ward files another brief - KFOR.com In addition to his impressive performances, Ward has a true passion for music and the arts. Heres a link to the decision, Mark Barrett & The Center on Wrongful Convictions tweeted, with the legal documents confirming the move attached. Breaking news: Judge orders Tommy released and vacates his conviction. Oklahoma Attorney General's Office Appeals Release Of Tommy Ward. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Ward is currently still in prison while the appeals process continues. When you read their briefs, they dont take issue with the fact that this information was withheld from him. State asks U.S. Supreme Court to uphold conviction in 'Innocent Man' They cant. 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. About Tommy Ward Tommy Ward has been in prison 35 years for a murder he swears he did not commit.