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. Ward has also had a widely celebrated opening act run for comedy legend Louie Anderson during his tenure at the Plaza Hotel. 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. Tuesday, they filed a brief with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. Please refer to our. That evidence includes previously undisclosed suspects and whether police provided Ward with information about the victim's blouse, which prosecutors said he had described. "Everything about their confession has been proven wrong by the discovery of the body," attorney Janet Davis noted in the documentary. Tuesday, July 6th 2021, 11:00 pm. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? 2022 Reader's Choice Winners . Subscribe and Follow on Facebook and YouTube for the latest music. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and filming for Halloween Ends to release on October 14, 2022 with! 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. 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. Tommy Ward is still behind bars waiting for an appeal. He reminds me of working with Frank Sinatra in some strange way." mail Fontenot's case was picked up by The Innocence Project in 2011, but there's . 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. 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. We promise to never spam you. Subscribe for the latest music videos, performances, and more!Tommy's new album "From This Moment On" available n. Fontenot, 57 and Tommy Ward, 61, were both twice convicted in Haraways murder. It was later upheld when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the state's appeal. An autopsy showed evidence that she had been shot and no sign that she had been stabbed, per The AP. Newson6.com is proud to provide Oklahomans with timely and relevant news and information, - BART TORRES, 99.7FM The Highway Vibe. Fontenot was sentenced to death again but Ward was sentenced to life in prison, according to The Oklahoman. 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. Fontenot has been released pending a decision from the United States 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. 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. 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. 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. Please refer to our. Ward was convicted in the case in 1989 along with a co-defendant named Karl Fontenot. Courtesy Netflix. Tommy has been recommended for parole at least twice, but turned down by the board in Oklahoma. To the extent that this could be the next Sinatra of our time." 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. Denice Haraway of Ada, Oklahoma went in for an ordinary day of work at her convenience store job on April 28, 1984. Barrett noted that the appeals court ordered the lower court to consider an additional claim regarding new evidence discovered in 2019. Raising the same general categories on post-conviction that one raised on direct appeal, even if the basis is different, will result in a procedural bar," according to the state court's opinion. The state court of criminal appeals voted unanimously to reinstate Tommy Ward's murder conviction. Haraways body was located after the convictions. Breaking news: Judge orders Tommy released and vacates his conviction. sharing the stories, pictures and loves of Oklahomans across our great state. Attorneys For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His Release From Jail. 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 two insisted they were innocent, but still ended up convicted of Haraway's murder. Tweet Fontenot was released from prison about one year ago after a federal judge found he also didnt receive a fair trial. Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna Denice Haraway. The Oklahoma attorney general is appealing the ruling. Tommy Ward has been in prison for 35 years and was supposed to be released today after a judge dismissed Ward's murder conviction. In both Ward and Fontenots cases, judges issued rulings excoriating investigators for withholding favorable evidence from defense attorneys. Heres a link to the decision https://t.co/21UQag7LEi, Tommy Ward: The Innocent Man (@WardInnocentMan) December 19, 2020. Oklahoma Attorney General's Office Appeals Release Of Tommy Ward. @WardInnocentMan. 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. 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.. Heres a link to the decision, Mark Barrett & The Center on Wrongful Convictions tweeted, with the legal documents confirming the move attached. Share Since the age of 16, Ward has had the opportunity to work alongside industry veterans and legends. 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 is free on bond as the appeals process plays out. Ward and Fontenot were both granted a retrial a few years later, and again found guilty of Haraway's death. 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. Both have excellent teams of lawyers who continue to work for their release.. This is new info, and were trying to figure what this means right now. 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. Critically acclaimed singer, musician, and entertainer. 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. 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. SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER, FIRST TAKE, 'The Innocent Man': Netflix Sets December Launch for Docuseries Based on John Grisham Book. This contradicted the confessions, which stated that Haraway had been stabbed to death. They cant. Attorneys For Tommy Ward 'The Innocent Man' Continue Fight For His Release From Jail. The organization has not offered an update on the status of their efforts. Ward remains in prison as the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals weighs his 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. Instead, she had died from a gunshot wound. 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. Among Fontenots legal team is Donald B. VerrilliJr., the U.S. solicitor general from 2011 to 2016. Courtesy. 19 talking about this. More to come. I received Christmas cards last week from both Tommy Ward and Karl Fontenot, so we keep in touch," Grisham said. Ward is a hardworking and dedicated artist who continues to make a name for himself in the entertainment industry. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. In a 2017 interview with The Marshall Project, the author discussed their fates. Breaking news: Judge orders Tommy released and vacates his conviction. The. Tommy Ward was one of two men serving a life sentence for the 1984 murder of Denice Haraway in Ada. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. The judge also called the evidence against Ward circumstantial and said nearly all of the details in his confession were inaccurate. An Oklahoma judge ruled that the case rested on circumstantial evidence. have asked the court of appeals . Oct 28, 2022. Local prosecutors again secured their convictions, based largely on their confessions. Last week, a Pontotoc County District Court judge ordered Tommy Ward be released from prison. Oklahoma seeks to uphold the murder conviction of Karl Fontenot in the murder of Donna "Denice" Haraway. Ward's newly released EP "From This Moment On," (2022) produced by LeCoq Records, showcases his stunning vocal abilities . 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.. More:Oklahoma Army veteran gets probation for role in Jan. 6 US Capitol riot. He is currently serving time at the Dick Conner Correctional Center in Hominy in Oklahoma. 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. Both Ward and Fontenot would go on to recant their confessions. Justices may determine before the courts term ends this summer whether to review the case. Tommy Ward has been in prison 35 years for a murder he swears he did not commit. 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. "They said I had a choice to write it or tape it. Oklahomas Court of Criminal Appeals, however, argued that the district court had abused its discretion in that instance. We cant do it without your support.