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 said newly discovered evidence about Fontenots alibi and other suspects in the murder provided solid proof of his probable innocence. However, she would never be seen alive again. The attorney generals office now has 20 days to respond. 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! 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. Attorneys For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His Release From Jail. 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. Tommy Ward. 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 . Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna "Denice" Haraway. More:Oklahoma Army veteran gets probation for role in Jan. 6 US Capitol riot. 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.. 37 years since Ada murder, Ward still in custody - KTEN Fontenot's case was picked up by The Innocence Project in 2011, but there's . Ward and Fontenot were sentenced to death on January 21, 1985 after being found guilty of murdering Haraway. 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. This contradicted the confessions, which stated that Haraway had been stabbed to death. So where are the two men now, more than 30 years later? 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. Appears the state will retry Karl Fontenot, who was released 2 years ago and subject of #netflix special. Tommy Ward is still behind bars waiting for an appeal. 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. Fontenot was released from prison after a federal judge in Oklahoma ruled in 2019 that the state committed numerous constitutional violations. Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna Denice Haraway. In a 2017 interview with The Marshall Project, the author discussed their fates. He is currently serving time at the Dick Conner Correctional Center in Hominy in Oklahoma. 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. In June this year, the US Supreme Court refused to take up the case and to examine the states appeal. (Oklahoma Department of Corrections via AP), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. 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.. Attorneys in Ada 'Innocent Man' case request judge vacate Ward's 7726 5241 Dial by your location +1 346 248 7799 US Are allowed finish! 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. She decided to vacate Wards conviction and life sentence, and ordered his release. Ward is the subject of a Netflix docuseries and a book by John Grisham. Back in December a Ponotoc County judge overturned Wards conviction saying prosecutors withheld evidence in the case. Tommy Ward - YouTube He reminds me of working with Frank Sinatra in some strange way." Oklahoma Attorney General's Office Appeals Release Of Tommy Ward. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! 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. The 10th U.S. 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. 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 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. Oklahoma Attorney General responds to innocence claims by 'Innocent Man Heres a link to the decision, Mark Barrett & The Center on Wrongful Convictions tweeted, with the legal documents confirming the move attached. The most recent exculpatory disclosure came in 2019, 31 years after Fontenots conviction.. Tommy Ward- The Innocent Man's Legal Team's Page | Ada OK - Facebook Want to support our mission to hold powerful people accountable, give a voice to the voiceless, and shine a light on darkness in Oklahoma? Oklahoma Attorney General's Office Appeals Release Of Tommy Ward The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals on Friday reinstated Tommy Ward's murder conviction in an infamous 1984 case out of Ada. and his videos on social media have racked up millions of views. 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 has been recommended for parole at least twice, but turned down by the board in Oklahoma. Ward's accurate description of the blouse was the only information that he gave that was correct in his confession, Barrett said. Fontenots death sentence was later reduced to life before his conviction was reversed by a federal appeals court. ADVERTISEMENT The Oklahoma attorney general is appealing the ruling. Tommy's legal team dedicated to freeing Tommy Ward from prison for a crime he did not commit.. @WardInnocentMan. 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. a man whose murder conviction in Oklahoma was overturned, Fontenot and Thomas Ward were convicted of killing Ada convenience store clerk Donna Denice Haraway in 1984, which became a Netflix documentary series, Oklahoma Army veteran gets probation for role in Jan. 6 US Capitol riot, Human remains found, Oklahoma white supremacist leader might be connected, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. By: Dana Hertneky. Fontenot was sentenced to death again but Ward was sentenced to life in prison, according to The Oklahoman. U.S. Supreme Court declines to hear 'Innocent Man' case At time of writing, he is still serving his life sentence without the possibility of parole, and is now 54 years old. Court Rules 'Innocent Man' Defendant to Remain Imprisoned Court upholds overturned conviction in 'Innocent Man' case The attorney generals office now has 20 days to respond. Tommy Ward - YouTube 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.. What Happened To Tommy Ward And Karl Fontenot? 'The Innocent Man As a nonprofit news organization,The Frontieris funded by tax-deductible donations made by people who support quality journalism. Ward remained in prison while the state appealed the ruling, The Associated Press reported at the time. Both have excellent teams of lawyers who continue to work for their release.. The. Tweet This is new info, and were trying to figure what this means right now. 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. Karl Fontenot: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know | Heavy.com Tommy has been recommended for parole at least twice, but turned down by the board in Oklahoma. Attorneys For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His Last week, a Pontotoc County District Court judge ordered Tommy Ward be released from prison. Tommy Ward has been in prison for 35 years and was supposed to be released today after a judge dismissed Ward's murder conviction. Oklahoma court reinstates murder conviction of Tommy Ward The Official YouTube Channel of Tommy Ward. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. 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. Also Read: 'The Innocent Man': Netflix Sets December Launch for Docuseries Based on John Grisham Book. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. 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. Both are model prisoners. Fight for his release from jail crime Netflix Series was released back in 2018, and temporary. They cant. He is 54 years old and is being held at the at the North Fork Correctional Center in Sayre in Oklahoma. The ruling came down Friday from District Judge Paula Inge in Pontotoc County, who concluded in post-conviction finding that the case rested on circumstantial evidence in the form of conflicted witness statements and Wards inculpatory statements he gave to police. Last week, a Pontotoc County District Court judge ordered Tommy Ward be released from prison. 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. Court Extends Temporary Stay 1 Day Before Tommy Ward's Expected Release 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. Timmy Ward gamelogs for the 2022 season. Karl Fontenot was 20 years old in 1984, when he was arrested for the rape and murder of Donna Denice Haraway along with Tommy Ward. Fontenot. She said police and prosecutors withheld evidence that would have assisted Wards defense. State asks U.S. Supreme Court to uphold conviction in 'Innocent Man' Fontenot, 57 and Tommy Ward, 61, were both twice convicted in Haraways murder. He's very disappointed that he's still in prison for a murder he didn't commit, Ward's attorney, Mark Barrett, said Tuesday.