It was based on the 2006 true-crime book The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town by John Grisham. 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. The Oklahoma attorney generals office, which appealed Inges order, declined to comment on Thursdays ruling. Ada store clerk Denice Haraway was abducted and killed on April 28, 1984. . 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. 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. Ward remains in prison as the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals weighs his case. Haraway was working as a clerk in a convenience store when she went missing in Ada in 1984. Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. 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. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal . She doesnt believe he could be given a fair trial after more than 30 years. A state judge overturned Wards conviction in 2020, but the Oklahoma Attorney Generals Office has appealed the ruling. Ward was convicted alongside Karl Fontenot for murdering Donna Harraway in Ada. 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. That evidence includes previously undisclosed suspects and whether police provided Ward with information about the victim's blouse, which prosecutors said he had described. The judge said newly discovered evidence about Fontenot's alibi and other suspects in the murder provided "solid proof" of his probable innocence. More to come. 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. Tommy Ward was one of two men serving a life sentence for the 1984 murder of Denice Haraway in Ada. Appears the state will retry Karl Fontenot, who was released 2 years ago and subject of #netflix special. Ward has also had a widely celebrated opening act run for comedy legend Louie Anderson during his tenure at the Plaza Hotel. Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna Denice Haraway. He reminds me of working with Frank Sinatra in some strange way." 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. A federal judge in Muskogee overturned Fontenot's conviction in late 2019. Back in December a Ponotoc County judge overturned Wards conviction saying prosecutors withheld evidence in the case. PublishedDecember 26, 2020 at 10:50 AM CST, KGOU | Lawyers for a man whose murder conviction in Oklahoma was overturned after he served more than three decades in prison urged the U.S. Supreme Court this week not to grant the states request to review the case. 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. The state court of criminal appeals voted unanimously to reinstate Tommy Ward's murder conviction. 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. 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. "Everything about their confession has been proven wrong by the discovery of the body," attorney Janet Davis noted in the documentary. 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. 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. 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. Wards attorneys said its far too late for Ward to receive a fair trial. Share. 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. OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) A man who has spent 35 years in prison in a murder case featured in the book and television series The Innocent Man must remain incarcerated even after a judge ordered his release, an appeals court ruled Thursday. 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. 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. In 2020, District Judge Paula Inge vacated his conviction, dismissed the charges against him, and ordered him set free. Also Read: 'The Innocent Man': Netflix Sets December Launch for Docuseries Based on John Grisham Book. 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.. Fontenot was released in December 2019 at the age of 55 after a federal judge ordered he be released or retried. 19 talking about this. In a 2017 interview with The Marshall Project, the author discussed their fates. This contradicted the confessions, which stated that Haraway had been stabbed to death. 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. But now, Wards release has been blocked by the state Attorney Generals Office. 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. 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 and Fontenot were sentenced to death on January 21, 1985 after being found guilty of murdering Haraway. So where are the two men now, more than 30 years later? It was later upheld when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the state's appeal. Attorneys representing Tommy Ward continue to fight for his release from jail. Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna "Denice" Haraway. 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. 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. SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER, FIRST TAKE, 'The Innocent Man': Netflix Sets December Launch for Docuseries Based on John Grisham Book. Ward and Fontenot were both granted a retrial a few years later, and again found guilty of Haraway's death. Subscribe for the latest music videos, performances, and more!Tommy's new album "From This Moment On" available n. "Tommy is the epitome of great music. 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. Attorneys For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His Release From Jail. Ward remained in prison while the state appealed the ruling, The Associated Press reported at the time. Both Ward and Fontenot would go on to recant their confessions. 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. Advertisement On Friday, a judge vacated Ward's convictions and sentences, dismissed the charges and . Attorneys For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His Release From Jail. 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. 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. 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. Instead, she had died from a gunshot wound. 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. We promise to never spam you. 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 10th U.S. Its clear as day.. Tommy Ward, 61, and Karl Fontenot, 58, were . Please refer to our. 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. 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 attorney generals office now has 20 days to respond. The state also claims witnesses saw men matching Ward and Fontenots descriptions in the convenience store where Haraway worked before she disappeared. John 3:16. Fontenots death sentence was later reduced to life before his conviction was reversed by a federal appeals court. So thats the reason I gave them an untrue statement so they would leave me alone.. Fontenot, Wards co-defendant, was ordered released by a federal judge in 2019, and the state is also appealing that order. 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.. - BART TORRES, 99.7FM The Highway Vibe. John Grisham continues to correspond with both men. 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 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. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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. "They said I had a choice to write it or tape it. 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. Local prosecutors again secured their convictions, based largely on their confessions. The victim, Donna Denice Haraway, disappeared from the McAnally's convenience store in Ada on April 28, 1984. Breaking news: Judge orders Tommy released and vacates his conviction. 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. Fontenots and Wards attorneys did not respond to requests for comment. The newlywed college student worked as a clerk there at night. Both are model prisoners. 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.. sharing the stories, pictures and loves of Oklahomans across our great state. Timmy Ward gamelogs for the 2022 season. 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. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Justices may determine before the courts term ends this summer whether to review the case. Tommy Ward is a critically acclaimed singer and entertainer from Las Vegas who has a deep love and appreciation for legendary musicians and crooners. 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. Tommy Ward. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. This is new info, and were trying to figure what this means right now. Tommy has been recommended for parole at least twice, but turned down by the board in Oklahoma. 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. Fontenots lawyers at first waived the right to respond to the state, but the Supreme Court then requested a response. Ward is the subject of a Netflix docuseries and a book by John Grisham. Tommy Ward is a critically acclaimed singer and entertainer from Las Vegas who has a deep love and appreciation for legendary musicians and crooners. 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. (Oklahoma Department of Corrections via AP), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. 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. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. He is now 58 years old and says he will not admit guilt even if it means improving his chances at parole. Heres a link to the decision https://t.co/21UQag7LEi, Tommy Ward: The Innocent Man (@WardInnocentMan) December 19, 2020. Back in December a Ponotoc County judge overturned Wards conviction saying prosecutors withheld evidence in the case. The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals on Friday reinstated Tommy Ward's murder conviction in an infamous 1984 case out of Ada. He is 54 years old and is being held at the at the North Fork Correctional Center in Sayre in Oklahoma. In June this year, the US Supreme Court refused to take up the case and to examine the states appeal. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. Last week, a Pontotoc County District Court judge ordered Tommy Ward be released from prison. 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. More to come. The judge said newly discovered evidence about Fontenots alibi and other suspects in the murder provided solid proof of his probable innocence. Newson6.com is proud to provide Oklahomans with timely and relevant news and information, Fontenot was sentenced to death again but Ward was sentenced to life in prison, according to The Oklahoman. 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! Tommy has been recommended for parole at least twice, but turned down by the board in Oklahoma. Tweet All rights reserved. Haraways body was located after the convictions. Oklahomas Court of Criminal Appeals, however, argued that the district court had abused its discretion in that instance. The most recent exculpatory disclosure came in 2019, 31 years after Fontenots conviction.. @WardInnocentMan. Tuesday, July 6th 2021, 11:00 pm. When you read their briefs, they dont take issue with the fact that this information was withheld from him. Wr Hines Ward - NFL.com /a > attorneys representing Tommy Ward was one of two serving! Oct 28, 2022. 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. Meanwhile, Fontenot, as explained in the Netflix series, had perhaps offered his testimony to the aggressive police because he both feared for his safety and wanted to escape from what was described as poverty and homelessness. Courtesy Netflix. Oklahoma Attorney General's Office Appeals Release Of Tommy Ward. 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. The organization has not offered an update on the status of their efforts. 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. The judge found Tommy Ward didnt get a fair trial. 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. I didnt even know what the word 'statement' or 'confessing' meant 'til they told me I confessed to it. The Oklahoma attorney general is appealing the ruling. 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. 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.