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Tommy has been recommended for parole at least twice, but turned down by the board in Oklahoma. 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. Tommy Ward is a critically acclaimed singer and entertainer from Las Vegas who has a deep love and appreciation for legendary musicians and crooners. Please refer to our. Tommy Ward, 61, and Karl Fontenot, 58, were . Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. 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. 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. A federal judge in Muskogee overturned Fontenot's conviction in late 2019. The newlywed college student worked as a clerk there at night. Also Read: 'The Innocent Man': Netflix Sets December Launch for Docuseries Based on John Grisham Book. 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. 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. Fontenot was released from prison after a federal judge in Oklahoma ruled in 2019 that the state committed numerous constitutional violations. 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. Heres a link to the decision https://t.co/21UQag7LEi, Tommy Ward: The Innocent Man (@WardInnocentMan) December 19, 2020. He is 54 years old and is being held at the at the North Fork Correctional Center in Sayre in Oklahoma. A spokeswoman for Attorney General John OConnor declined to comment on the pending cases. - BART TORRES, 99.7FM The Highway Vibe. She said police and prosecutors withheld evidence that would have assisted Wards defense. The court overturned a lower court decision that said because prosecutors and police withheld evidence that could exonerate Tommy Ward, 61, of the 1984 murder of Donna Denice Haraway in Ada. Tuesday, July 6th 2021, 11:00 pm. Haraways body was located after the convictions. 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. So thats the reason I gave them an untrue statement so they would leave me alone.. The Oklahoma attorney general is appealing the ruling. The judge found Tommy Ward didnt get a fair trial. 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. 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. News9.com is proud to provide Oklahomans with timely and relevant news and information, Tommy Ward to be set free . Tommy Ward was scheduled to be released in December 2020, but . 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. Position: WR Height: 6-0 Weight: 190 College: Rutgers Hometown: Canton, PA High School: Canton HS Tommy Ward was one of two men serving a life sentence for the 1984 murder of Denice Haraway in Ada. This is new info, and were trying to figure what this means right now. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Ward is the subject of a Netflix docuseries and a book by John Grisham. 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. Ward has also had a widely celebrated opening act run for comedy legend Louie Anderson during his tenure at the Plaza Hotel. An Oklahoma judge ruled that the case rested on circumstantial evidence. Courtesy. They cant. Ward was convicted alongside Karl Fontenot for murdering Donna Harraway in Ada. A state judge overturned Wards conviction in 2020, but the Oklahoma Attorney Generals Office has appealed the ruling. Local prosecutors again secured their convictions, based largely on their confessions. He often uses his platform to raise awareness for various charitable causes and uses his talents to give back to his community. Fontenot was sentenced to death again but Ward was sentenced to life in prison, according to The Oklahoman. Breaking news: Judge orders Tommy released and vacates his conviction. 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. 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. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal . Fontenot was released from prison about one year ago after a federal judge found he also didnt receive a fair trial. Donate to The Frontier to support local independent investigative journalism. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. Last week, a Pontotoc County District Court judge ordered Tommy Ward be released from prison. The attorney generals office now has 20 days to respond. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. When you read their briefs, they dont take issue with the fact that this information was withheld from him. Subscribe for the latest music videos, performances, and more!Tommy's new album "From This Moment On" available n. 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. The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals on Friday reinstated Tommy Ward's murder conviction in an infamous 1984 case out of Ada. PublishedDecember 26, 2020 at 10:50 AM CST, KGOU | Ward's case, and others, have been the. The convictions were based almost entirely on accounts they said they retrieved from dreams. 7726 5241 Dial by your location +1 346 248 7799 US Are allowed finish! Ward remains in prison as the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals weighs his case. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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. In both Ward and Fontenots cases, judges issued rulings excoriating investigators for withholding favorable evidence from defense attorneys. 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. Justices may determine before the courts term ends this summer whether to review the case. SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER, FIRST TAKE, 'The Innocent Man': Netflix Sets December Launch for Docuseries Based on John Grisham Book. Fontenot, 57 and Tommy Ward, 61, were both twice convicted in Haraways murder. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. 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. 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. 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.. 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. The state also claims witnesses saw men matching Ward and Fontenots descriptions in the convenience store where Haraway worked before she disappeared. Subscribe for the latest music videos, performances, and more!Tommy's new album "From This Moment On" available n. The state of Oklahoma engaged in an egregious, decades-long pattern of prosecutorial misconduct to ensure that the facts of Karl Fontenots innocence never came to light, Fontenots legal team told the court. Want to support our mission to hold powerful people accountable, give a voice to the voiceless, and shine a light on darkness in Oklahoma? Fontenot and Thomas Ward were convicted of killing Ada convenience store clerk Donna Denice Haraway in 1984. Ward is a hardworking and dedicated artist who continues to make a name for himself in the entertainment industry. This contradicted the confessions, which stated that Haraway had been stabbed to death. 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. 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. Karl Fontenot, Tommy Ward. and his videos on social media have racked up millions of views. The victim, Donna Denice Haraway, disappeared from the McAnally's convenience store in Ada on April 28, 1984. Tommy Ward. Since the age of 16, Ward has had the opportunity to work alongside industry veterans and legends. Wr Hines Ward - NFL.com /a > attorneys representing Tommy Ward was one of two serving! Though no physical evidence tied them to Haraways disappearance, Fontenot and Ward initially confessed to the crime after questioning by investigators. Share. 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. The state court of criminal appeals voted unanimously to reinstate Tommy Ward's murder conviction. Subscribe and Follow on Facebook and YouTube for the latest music. Appears the state will retry Karl Fontenot, who was released 2 years ago and subject of #netflix special. More to come. 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. An autopsy showed evidence that she had been shot and no sign that she had been stabbed, per The AP. The Official YouTube Channel of Tommy Ward. The judge said newly discovered evidence about Fontenot's alibi and other suspects in the murder provided "solid proof" of his probable innocence. Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna Denice Haraway. 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'. [Warning: Spoilers for "The Innocent Man" ahead!]. Ward was convicted in the case in 1989 along with a co-defendant named Karl Fontenot.