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.. 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. Subscribe for the latest music videos, performances, and more!Tommy's new album "From This Moment On" available n. The Court of Criminal Appeals ordered Tommy Ward, 60, to remain imprisoned while the state appeals the lower courts ruling that he be released. "Everything about their confession has been proven wrong by the discovery of the body," attorney Janet Davis noted in the documentary. Attorneys For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His Release From Jail. This is new info, and were trying to figure what this means right now. 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. Ward's case was the focus of the Netflix documentary "The Innocent Man, " which was released in 2018. Fontenot. As a nonprofit news organization,The Frontieris funded by tax-deductible donations made by people who support quality journalism. All rights reserved. Courtesy. Both are model prisoners. Share. Tommy Ward has been in prison for 35 years and was supposed to be released today after a judge dismissed Ward's murder conviction. Ward's accurate description of the blouse was the only information that he gave that was correct in his confession, Barrett said. Among Fontenots legal team is Donald B. VerrilliJr., the U.S. solicitor general from 2011 to 2016. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Fontenot and Thomas Ward were convicted of killing Ada convenience store clerk Donna Denice Haraway in 1984. Both Ward and . We promise to never spam you. 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. Wards attorneys said its far too late for Ward to receive a fair trial. 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. Tommy's legal team dedicated to freeing Tommy Ward from prison for a crime he did not commit.. Fontenot has been released pending a decision from the United States 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. 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. 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. Oklahoma Attorney General's Office Appeals Release Of Tommy Ward. Oklahoma court reinstates murder conviction of Tommy Ward 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. - BART TORRES, 99.7FM The Highway Vibe. Tweet However, she would never be seen alive again. The attorney generals office now has 20 days to respond. "Tommy is the epitome of great music. 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. The judge also called the evidence against Ward circumstantial and said nearly all of the details in his confession were inaccurate. It was based on the 2006 true-crime book The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town by John Grisham. What Happened To Tommy Ward And Karl Fontenot? 'The Innocent Man Tommy Ward from Netflix documentary has murder conviction reinstated The state also claims witnesses saw men matching Ward and Fontenots descriptions in the convenience store where Haraway worked before she disappeared. They cant. Ward has also had a widely celebrated opening act run for comedy legend Louie Anderson during his tenure at the Plaza Hotel. The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals on Friday reinstated Tommy Ward's murder conviction in an infamous 1984 case out of Ada. 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'. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and filming for Halloween Ends to release on October 14, 2022 with! Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? She was 24. 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. 37 years since Ada murder, Ward still in custody - KTEN Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. 2023 www.oklahoman.com. Ward remained in prison while the state appealed the ruling, The Associated Press reported at the time. 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. Courtesy Netflix. 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. 7726 5241 Dial by your location +1 346 248 7799 US Are allowed finish! Fontenots and Wards attorneys did not respond to requests for comment. You can opt-out at any time. A federal judge in Muskogee overturned Fontenot's conviction in late 2019. Both Ward and Fontenot would go on to recant their confessions. 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. Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna Denice Haraway. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal . By: Dana Hertneky. 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 . Tommy Ward - YouTube Attorneys For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His remains wrongfully imprisoned . A state judge overturned Wards conviction in 2020, but the Oklahoma Attorney Generals Office has appealed the ruling. The state court of criminal appeals voted unanimously to reinstate Tommy Ward's murder conviction. The organization has not offered an update on the status of their efforts. 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. - STEVE WYNN, founder Wynn Resorts "I just saw Tommy in Las Vegas at a corporate event and I was BLOWN AWAY. 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. Tuesday, July 6th 2021, 11:00 pm. Please refer to our. Ward and Fontenot were both granted a retrial a few years later, and again found guilty of Haraway's death. More damningly, Haraway had not been been stabbed as the young men had described. Oct 28, 2022. Judge orders release or new trial for 'Innocent Man' defendant Fontenot, Wards co-defendant, was ordered released by a federal judge in 2019, and the state is also appealing that order. 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. Ada store clerk Denice Haraway was abducted and killed on April 28, 1984. . Court Rules 'Innocent Man' Defendant to Remain Imprisoned Judge vacates sentence; Tommy Ward to be set free Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. This is new info, and were trying to figure what this means right now. Tommy Ward was one of two men serving a life sentence for the 1984 murder of Denice Haraway in Ada. Court rules 'Innocent Man' defendant to remain imprisoned - AP NEWS The most recent exculpatory disclosure came in 2019, 31 years after Fontenots conviction.. 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 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. info@tommywardmusic.com | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use. U.S. Supreme Court declines to hear 'Innocent Man' case attempted to take on Fontenot's case in 2013, a 2017 interview with The Marshall Project. John 3:16. Ward is a hardworking and dedicated artist who continues to make a name for himself in the entertainment industry. 2022 Reader's Choice Winners . 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. Tommy has been recommended for parole at least twice, but turned down by the board in Oklahoma. Tommy Ward, 61, and Karl Fontenot, 58, were . 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.. 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. Heres a link to the decision, Mark Barrett & The Center on Wrongful Convictions tweeted, with the legal documents confirming the move attached. Fontenot was released from prison about one year ago after a federal judge found he also didnt receive a fair trial. 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. He is 54 years old and is being held at the at the North Fork Correctional Center in Sayre in Oklahoma. Instead, she had died from a gunshot wound. Additional reporting by The Associated Press. Denice Haraway of Ada, Oklahoma went in for an ordinary day of work at her convenience store job on April 28, 1984. Ward was convicted in the case in 1989 along with a co-defendant named Karl Fontenot. The Oklahoma attorney general is appealing the ruling. and his videos on social media have racked up millions of views. The Official YouTube Channel of Tommy Ward. Haraways body was located after the convictions. 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. Back in December a Ponotoc County judge overturned Wards conviction saying prosecutors withheld evidence in the case. 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.. Fontenot is currently awaiting the results of a federal appeal. 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. Barrett noted that the appeals court ordered the lower court to consider an additional claim regarding new evidence discovered in 2019. 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. have asked the court of appeals . Want to support our mission to hold powerful people accountable, give a voice to the voiceless, and shine a light on darkness in Oklahoma? 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. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. Ward and Fontenot were sentenced to death on January 21, 1985 after being found guilty of murdering Haraway. 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. Justices may determine before the courts term ends this summer whether to review the case. 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. "They have now been in prison for 31 years, serving hard time for a murder committed by someone else. 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. Fontenot's case was picked up by The Innocence Project in 2011, but there's . 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. So where are the two men now, more than 30 years later? Ward was featured in the Netflix. Forget Me Not EP available now on all major platforms. ADVERTISEMENT The attorney generals office now has 20 days to respond. This contradicted the confessions, which stated that Haraway had been stabbed to death. 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. It was later upheld when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the state's appeal. John Grisham continues to correspond with both men. 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 9 delivered right to your inbox! Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. 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. He reminds me of working with Frank Sinatra in some strange way." 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. We cant do it without your support. Ward is currently still in prison while the appeals process continues. 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. Fontenot was released in December 2019 at the age of 55 after a federal judge ordered he be released or retried. OK man arrested for. Tommy Ward has been in prison 35 years for a murder he swears he did not commit. Tommy Ward to be set free . Fight for his release from jail crime Netflix Series was released back in 2018, and temporary. Ward's newly released EP "From This Moment On," (2022) produced by LeCoq Records, showcases his stunning vocal abilities . Position: WR Height: 6-0 Weight: 190 College: Rutgers Hometown: Canton, PA High School: Canton HS Tommy Ward: The Innocent Man (@WardInnocentMan) / Twitter 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. The judge said newly discovered evidence about Fontenots alibi and other suspects in the murder provided solid proof of his probable innocence. The judge found Tommy Ward didnt get 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. Tommy has been recommended for parole at least twice, but turned down by the board in Oklahoma. In addition to his impressive performances, Ward has a true passion for music and the arts. State asks U.S. Supreme Court to uphold conviction in 'Innocent Man' Ward is currently still in prison while the appeals process continues. Tommy Ward is a critically acclaimed singer and entertainer from Las Vegas who has a deep love and appreciation for legendary musicians and crooners. 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! Timmy Ward 2022 Gamelogs | The Football Database 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. 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. That evidence includes previously undisclosed suspects and whether police provided Ward with information about the victim's blouse, which prosecutors said he had described. 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.. 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. An Oklahoma judge ruled that the case rested on circumstantial evidence. Ward and co-defendant Karl Fontenot's initial convictions and death sentences for Harways death were overturned, but both were again convicted on retrial with Fontenot again receiving a death sentence and Ward being sentenced to life in prison. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. Attorneys For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His

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