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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. Wards attorneys said its far too late for Ward to receive a fair trial. Oklahoma Attorney General's Office Appeals Release Of Tommy Ward. 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. 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. However, she would never be seen alive again. Tommy Ward has been in prison for 35 years and was supposed to be released today after a judge dismissed Ward's murder conviction. 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. Among Fontenots legal team is Donald B. VerrilliJr., the U.S. solicitor general from 2011 to 2016. The organization has not offered an update on the status of their efforts. ADVERTISEMENT 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! State asks U.S. Supreme Court to uphold conviction in 'Innocent Man' Breaking news: Judge orders Tommy released and vacates his conviction. (Oklahoma Department of Corrections via AP), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. You can opt-out at any time. 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. The Court of Criminal Appeals ordered Tommy Ward, 60, to remain imprisoned while the state appeals the lower courts ruling that he be released. An autopsy showed evidence that she had been shot and no sign that she had been stabbed, per The AP. She was 24. - QUINCY JONES, 27 time GRAMMY-award-winning producer "A fine singer A lovely, silky voice." Heres a link to the decision, Mark Barrett & The Center on Wrongful Convictions tweeted, with the legal documents confirming the move attached. John Grisham continues to correspond with both men. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. 2022 Reader's Choice Winners . 7726 5241 Dial by your location +1 346 248 7799 US Are allowed finish! Attorneys in 'Innocent Man' case eye federal court after lower court's It was based on the 2006 true-crime book The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town by John Grisham. 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. Wards attorneys said its far too late for Ward to receive a fair trial. Wr Hines Ward - NFL.com /a > attorneys representing Tommy Ward was one of two serving! Tommy Ward andKarl Fontenot were sentenced to death in 1985 for the murder of Denice Haraway, despite the fact that their confessions didn't match the crime they were accused of. Fontenot has been released pending a decision from the United States 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. 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. 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. Court rules 'Innocent Man' defendant to remain imprisoned - AP NEWS Ward remains in prison as the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals weighs his case. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals on Friday reinstated Tommy Ward's murder conviction in an infamous 1984 case out of Ada. 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. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and filming for Halloween Ends to release on October 14, 2022 with! Heres a link to the decision https://t.co/21UQag7LEi, Tommy Ward: The Innocent Man (@WardInnocentMan) December 19, 2020. A spokeswoman for Attorney General John OConnor declined to comment on the pending cases. Justices may determine before the courts term ends this summer whether to review the case. "They have now been in prison for 31 years, serving hard time for a murder committed by someone else. 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. An Oklahoma judge ruled that the case rested on circumstantial evidence. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. 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. 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. Ward was convicted in the case in 1989 along with a co-defendant named Karl Fontenot. Fontenot was released from prison after a federal judge in Oklahoma ruled in 2019 that the state committed numerous constitutional violations. I received Christmas cards last week from both Tommy Ward and Karl Fontenot, so we keep in touch," Grisham said. 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 . Fontenot is currently awaiting the results of a federal appeal. 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.. 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. 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. Both Ward and Fontenot would go on to recant their confessions. Tommy Ward from Netflix documentary has murder conviction reinstated Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Donate to The Frontier to support local independent investigative journalism. Also Read: 'The Innocent Man': Netflix Sets December Launch for Docuseries Based on John Grisham Book. About Tommy Ward Fontenot, 57 and Tommy Ward, 61, were both twice convicted in Haraways murder. She doesnt believe he could be given a fair trial after more than 30 years. He is 54 years old and is being held at the at the North Fork Correctional Center in Sayre in Oklahoma. Ward's attorney, Mark Barrett, will also be filing an appeal for exoneration. In a 2017 interview with The Marshall Project, the author discussed their fates. Tommy Ward: The Innocent Man (@WardInnocentMan) / Twitter Instead, she had died from a gunshot wound. . Tommy Ward, Convicted Murderer and Subject of Netflix's 'The - TheWrap Tommy Ward, 61, and Karl Fontenot, 58, were . Prisoner seen in Netflix's The Innocent Man has murder conviction 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. Ward was convicted alongside Karl Fontenot for murdering Donna Harraway in Ada. It was later upheld when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the state's appeal. "The Innocent Man" Tommy Ward files another brief - KFOR.com More to come. 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. Timmy Ward 2022 Gamelogs | The Football Database To the extent that this could be the next Sinatra of our time." His previous EPs "Forget Me Not" and "Merry Christmas" both reached the Top 10 on iTunes jazz charts on the first day of their release. Courtesy. Barrett noted that the appeals court ordered the lower court to consider an additional claim regarding new evidence discovered in 2019. The Oklahoma attorney generals office, which appealed Inges order, declined to comment on Thursdays ruling. Tommy Ward is a critically acclaimed singer and entertainer from Las Vegas who has a deep love and appreciation for legendary musicians and crooners. Fontenot, Wards co-defendant, was ordered released by a federal judge in 2019, and the state is also appealing that order. 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. 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. 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 Ward - YouTube Newson6.com is proud to provide Oklahomans with timely and relevant news and information, But one day before Ward's release, a temporary stay,. So where are the two men now, more than 30 years later? 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. Ward was featured in the Netflix. Fontenots conviction was overturned in 2019, and he was freed pending an appeal by the state. Want to support our mission to hold powerful people accountable, give a voice to the voiceless, and shine a light on darkness in Oklahoma? Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. Both judges found the defendants constitutional rights were violated by police and prosecutors who until 2019 didnt turn over more than 300 pages of documents that would have helped the defendants. 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'. The most recent exculpatory disclosure came in 2019, 31 years after Fontenots conviction.. Ward is the subject of a Netflix docuseries and a book by John Grisham. Ward's newly released EP "From This Moment On," (2022) produced by LeCoq Records, showcases his stunning vocal abilities . We promise to never spam you. Court Extends Temporary Stay 1 Day Before Tommy Ward's Expected Release Attorneys For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His Haraway was working as a clerk in a convenience store when she went missing in Ada in 1984. sharing the stories, pictures and loves of Oklahomans across our great state. 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, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal . Courtesy Netflix. His conviction is the subject of the Netflix docu-series "The . have asked the court of appeals . Karl Fontenot: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know | Heavy.com 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. 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. Local prosecutors again secured their convictions, based largely on their confessions. Tommy Ward is a critically acclaimed singer and entertainer from Las Vegas who has a deep love and appreciation for legendary musicians and crooners. Oklahoma Attorney General's Office Appeals Release Of Tommy Ward [Warning: Spoilers for "The Innocent Man" ahead!]. 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 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. 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. 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. The attorney generals office now has 20 days to respond. Judge orders release or new trial for 'Innocent Man' defendant 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. - BART TORRES, 99.7FM The Highway Vibe. Ward is a hardworking and dedicated artist who continues to make a name for himself in the entertainment industry. Last week, a Pontotoc County District Court judge ordered Tommy Ward be released from prison. This contradicted the confessions, which stated that Haraway had been stabbed to death. 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. He is currently serving time at the Dick Conner Correctional Center in Hominy in Oklahoma. Fontenot was sentenced to death again but Ward was sentenced to life in prison, according to The Oklahoman. 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.