@WardInnocentMan. His conviction is the subject of the Netflix docu-series "The . Timmy Ward gamelogs for the 2022 season. 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. 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. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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. Ward was convicted in the case in 1989 along with a co-defendant named Karl Fontenot. 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. Tommy has been recommended for parole at least twice, but turned down by the board in Oklahoma. 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 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 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. Critically acclaimed singer, musician, and entertainer. Tommy Ward is still behind bars waiting for an appeal. 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. 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. Also Read: 'The Innocent Man': Netflix Sets December Launch for Docuseries Based on John Grisham Book. In June this year, the US Supreme Court refused to take up the case and to examine the states appeal. Ward has also had a widely celebrated opening act run for comedy legend Louie Anderson during his tenure at the Plaza Hotel. The case was the subject of the book, The Dreams of Ada, by Robert Mayer, and was also described in John Grishams The Innocent Man, which became a Netflix documentary series. 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 Department of Corrections via AP), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. A spokeswoman for Attorney General John OConnor declined to comment on the pending cases. The Innocent Man - Tommy Ward and Karl Fontenot now - Digital Spy Timmy Ward 2022 Gamelogs | The Football Database Keep up-to-date with everything that happens in your world. Ward's case was the focus of the Netflix documentary "The Innocent Man, " which was released in 2018. The attorneys claim a trove of hundreds of new documents uncovered in a police storage room back up Fontenots claims of innocence. Courtesy. have asked the court of appeals . Breaking news: Judge orders Tommy released and vacates his conviction. 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. When you read their briefs, they dont take issue with the fact that this information was withheld from him. Karl Fontenot: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know | Heavy.com Fontenot, Wards co-defendant, was ordered released by a federal judge in 2019, and the state is also appealing that order. Tommy Ward was scheduled to be released in December 2020, but . By: Dana Hertneky. 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. 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 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. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. 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. Karl Fontenot, Tommy Ward. 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. 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. 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.. 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. [Warning: Spoilers for "The Innocent Man" ahead!]. remains wrongfully imprisoned . Forget Me Not EP available now on all major platforms. 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.. sharing the stories, pictures and loves of Oklahomans across our great state. The newlywed college student worked as a clerk there at night. 37 years since Ada murder, Ward still in custody - KTEN Tommy Ward- The Innocent Man's Legal Team's Page | Ada OK - Facebook In both Ward and Fontenots cases, judges issued rulings excoriating investigators for withholding favorable evidence from defense attorneys. 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:Oklahoma Army veteran gets probation for role in Jan. 6 US Capitol riot. In a 2017 interview with The Marshall Project, the author discussed their fates. 19 talking about this. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and filming for Halloween Ends to release on October 14, 2022 with! Ward is a hardworking and dedicated artist who continues to make a name for himself in the entertainment industry. Both are model prisoners. She decided to vacate Wards conviction and life sentence, and ordered his release. Oklahoma court reinstates 'Innocent Man' murder conviction An Oklahoma judge ruled that the case rested on circumstantial evidence. The Oklahoma attorney generals office, which appealed Inges order, declined to comment on Thursdays ruling. 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. Court upholds overturned conviction in 'Innocent Man' case 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. But now, Wards release has been blocked by the state Attorney Generals Office. It was later upheld when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the state's appeal. Tommy Ward has been in prison 35 years for a murder he swears he did not commit. But one day before Ward's release, a temporary stay,. 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. Tommy Ward, who was convicted twice for the 1984 kidnapping and murder of Ada convenience store clerk Donna "Denise" Haraway, had his conviction and life sentence overturned and was ordered to. In addition to his impressive performances, Ward has a true passion for music and the arts. tommy ward released 2022 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. This contradicted the confessions, which stated that Haraway had been stabbed to death. He is 54 years old and is being held at the at the North Fork Correctional Center in Sayre in Oklahoma. Barrett noted that the appeals court ordered the lower court to consider an additional claim regarding new evidence discovered in 2019. 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'. 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. 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. YOU'VE REACHED YOUR MONTHLY ARTICLE LIMIT. Fontenots and Wards attorneys did not respond to requests for comment. 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. 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. Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna Denice Haraway. 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.. 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. 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. Prisoner seen in Netflix's The Innocent Man has murder conviction Though no physical evidence tied them to Haraways disappearance, Fontenot and Ward initially confessed to the crime after questioning by investigators. Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna Denice Haraway. I agree with TheWrap's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and provide my consent to receive marketing communications from them. Fontenot, 57 and Tommy Ward, 61, were both twice convicted in Haraways murder. 7726 5241 Dial by your location +1 346 248 7799 US Are allowed finish! and his videos on social media have racked up millions of views. Fontenot has been released pending a decision from the United States 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. Fontenots lawyers at first waived the right to respond to the state, but the Supreme Court then requested a response. attempted to take on Fontenot's case in 2013, a 2017 interview with The Marshall Project. Fontenot's case was picked up by The Innocence Project in 2011, but there's . Denice Haraway of Ada, Oklahoma went in for an ordinary day of work at her convenience store job on April 28, 1984. 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. 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. PublishedDecember 26, 2020 at 10:50 AM CST, KGOU | Attorneys For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His More to come. 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. Tommy Ward: The Innocent Man (@WardInnocentMan) / Twitter At time of writing, he is still serving his life sentence without the possibility of parole, and is now 54 years old. 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. Keep up-to-date with everything that happens in your world. 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. Newson6.com is proud to provide Oklahomans with timely and relevant news and information, Oklahoma Attorney General's Office Appeals Release Of Tommy Ward Judge orders 'Innocent Man' defendant freed - Enidnews.com Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. Wards attorneys said its far too late for Ward to receive a fair trial. Court Rules 'Innocent Man' Defendant to Remain Imprisoned Fontenot was released from prison about one year ago after a federal judge found he also didnt receive a fair trial. 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. Tommy Ward, 61, and Karl Fontenot, 58, were . John Grisham continues to correspond with both men. - QUINCY JONES, 27 time GRAMMY-award-winning producer "A fine singer A lovely, silky voice." Fontenot. Fontenot was released from prison after a federal judge in Oklahoma ruled in 2019 that the state committed numerous constitutional violations. Ward is the subject of a Netflix docuseries and a book by John Grisham. 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. 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. 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. They cant. Ward and Fontenot were sentenced to death on January 21, 1985 after being found guilty of murdering Haraway. The 10th U.S. 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 Court of Criminal Appeals ordered Tommy Ward, 60, to remain imprisoned while the state appeals the lower courts ruling that he be released. 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. I didnt even know what the word 'statement' or 'confessing' meant 'til they told me I confessed to it. "They said I had a choice to write it or tape it. Attorneys in 'Innocent Man' case eye federal court after lower court's 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. Tommy Ward from Netflix documentary has murder conviction reinstated About Tommy Ward Start your Independent Premium subscription today. 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. 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. Ward remained in prison while the state appealed the ruling, The Associated Press reported at the time. She said police and prosecutors withheld evidence that would have assisted Wards defense. 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. "Tommy is the epitome of great music. 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 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 . Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal . 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. In a motion and brief filed Monday on behalf of Tommy Ward, one of two men convicted of Haraway's murder in Ada and who was featured in the John Grisham book the Innocent Man and 2018 Netflix. 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. Tweet 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. Fontenot was released from prison after a federal judge in Oklahoma ruled in 2019 that the state committed numerous constitutional violations. 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. The most recent exculpatory disclosure came in 2019, 31 years after Fontenots conviction.. Freed man in 'Dreams of Ada' case slams state appeal to Supreme Court Ward was convicted alongside Karl Fontenot for murdering Donna Harraway in Ada. Appears the state will retry Karl Fontenot, who was released 2 years ago and subject of #netflix special. A federal judge in Muskogee overturned Fontenot's conviction in late 2019. He is currently serving time at the Dick Conner Correctional Center in Hominy in Oklahoma. U.S. Supreme Court declines to hear 'Innocent Man' case Tommy Ward - Official Site Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. 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. info@tommywardmusic.com | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal 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.

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