Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. Ward's newly released EP "From This Moment On," (2022) produced by LeCoq Records, showcases his stunning vocal abilities . Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. 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. I agree with TheWrap's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and provide my consent to receive marketing communications from them. Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna Denice Haraway. mail Oct 28, 2022. 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. Ada store clerk Denice Haraway was abducted and killed on April 28, 1984. . Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. Ward's attorney, Mark Barrett, will also be filing an appeal for exoneration. Oklahomas Court of Criminal Appeals, however, argued that the district court had abused its discretion in that instance. I didnt even know what the word 'statement' or 'confessing' meant 'til they told me I confessed to it. 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. 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. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Back in December a Ponotoc County judge overturned Wards conviction saying prosecutors withheld evidence in the case. 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. 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 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. 19 talking about this. The convictions of Ward and Fontenot have come under intense scrutiny for years and have been the subject of numerous books, including John Grishams The Innocent Man, which he produced into a six-part documentary. - BART TORRES, 99.7FM The Highway Vibe. Local prosecutors again secured their convictions, based largely on their confessions. Both have excellent teams of lawyers who continue to work for their release.. 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 Official YouTube Channel of Tommy Ward. Tommy Ward, 61, and Karl Fontenot, 58, were . He reminds me of working with Frank Sinatra in some strange way." Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Fontenot and Thomas Ward were convicted of killing Ada convenience store clerk Donna Denice Haraway in 1984. Fontenot has been released pending a decision from the United States 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. 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. Fontenot was released from prison after a federal judge in Oklahoma ruled in 2019 that the state committed numerous constitutional violations. Ward is a hardworking and dedicated artist who continues to make a name for himself in the entertainment industry. Both Ward and . Keep up-to-date with everything that happens in your world. Appears the state will retry Karl Fontenot, who was released 2 years ago and subject of #netflix special. Tommy Ward. 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. Subscribe for the latest music videos, performances, and more!Tommy's new album "From This Moment On" available n. Denice Haraway of Ada, Oklahoma went in for an ordinary day of work at her convenience store job on April 28, 1984. Also Read: 'The Innocent Man': Netflix Sets December Launch for Docuseries Based on John Grisham Book. Position: WR Height: 6-0 Weight: 190 College: Rutgers Hometown: Canton, PA High School: Canton HS That evidence includes previously undisclosed suspects and whether police provided Ward with information about the victim's blouse, which prosecutors said he had described. This is new info, and were trying to figure what this means right now. 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. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. Tommy Ward was one of two men serving a life sentence for the 1984 murder of Denice Haraway in Ada. 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. 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. The Oklahoma attorney general is appealing the ruling. 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. More damningly, Haraway had not been been stabbed as the young men had described. 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.. have asked the court of appeals . info@tommywardmusic.com | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use. 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.. Courtesy. Ward was convicted in the case in 1989 along with a co-defendant named Karl Fontenot. Subscribe for the latest music videos, performances, and more!Tommy's new album "From This Moment On" available n. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. It was later upheld when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the state's appeal. An autopsy showed evidence that she had been shot and no sign that she had been stabbed, per The AP. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. 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 2020, District Judge Paula Inge vacated his conviction, dismissed the charges against him, and ordered him set free. But one day before Ward's release, a temporary stay,. 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. 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. Fontenot was released from prison about one year ago after a federal judge found he also didnt receive a fair trial. 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. 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. Ward's accurate description of the blouse was the only information that he gave that was correct in his confession, Barrett said. Critically acclaimed singer, musician, and entertainer. The state court of criminal appeals voted unanimously to reinstate Tommy Ward's murder conviction. You can opt-out at any time. Fontenots and Wards attorneys did not respond to requests for comment. 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. She doesnt believe he could be given a fair trial after more than 30 years. The newlywed college student worked as a clerk there at night. 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. Fontenot was released in December 2019 at the age of 55 after a federal judge ordered he be released or retried. Tommy Ward was scheduled to be released in December 2020, but . Ward was featured in the Netflix. Instead, she had died from a gunshot wound. Share. Timmy Ward gamelogs for the 2022 season. Wr Hines Ward - NFL.com /a > attorneys representing Tommy Ward was one of two serving! 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. The state also claims witnesses saw men matching Ward and Fontenots descriptions in the convenience store where Haraway worked before she disappeared. 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. Tuesday, July 6th 2021, 11:00 pm. Back in December a Ponotoc County judge overturned Wards conviction saying prosecutors withheld evidence in the case. 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. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. 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. Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna Denice Haraway. The 10th U.S. Though no physical evidence tied them to Haraways disappearance, Fontenot and Ward initially confessed to the crime after questioning by investigators. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. We are pressing forward exploring the possibility of going to federal court with additional appeals, Barrett said. Additional reporting by The Associated Press. When you read their briefs, they dont take issue with the fact that this information was withheld from him. At time of writing, he is still serving his life sentence without the possibility of parole, and is now 54 years old. The most recent exculpatory disclosure came in 2019, 31 years after Fontenots conviction.. She was 24. 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. Subscribe and Follow on Facebook and YouTube for the latest music. Ward was convicted alongside Karl Fontenot for murdering Donna Harraway in 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. 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. Tommy Ward to be set free . The attorney generals office now has 20 days to respond. 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.