Freedom isnt happening for one Oklahoma man featured in the Netflix film The Innocent Man after a judge vacates his conviction – KFOR Oklahoma City

ADA, Okla. (KFOR) The second man who was convicted in a controversial Oklahoma murder case could soon be a free man.

Tommy Ward was convicted in the 1984 murder case of Denice Haraway.

It became the focus of the Netflix docu-series The Innocent Man.

On Friday, a district judge ruled there was enough evidence to dismiss those charges.

The judge has vacated the conviction and dropped the charges against him. Hes kind of in a place where he was pre-arrest last time, Wards attorney Gref Swygert told KFOR News 4. Thats where we are in terms of the case itself.

This is the heartwarming news we need! Still a potential for state to appeal but a huge victory towards justice in this case! https://t.co/oqXwGumx4O

Swygerts hope was to have Ward home by Christmas, but those dreams were dashed on Monday.

A Judge granted a temporary stay of release to the Attorney Generals Office, giving the AG time to file with the court of criminal appeals.

I find it pretty unreasonable that they would do that, Director of the NETFLIX docu-series Clay Tweel said.

In the 33-page opinion from the judge, the judge said investigators determined The only relevant evidence was evidence which fit their theory. She went on to say the district attorneys office probably knew evidence was being suppressed and turned a blind eye.

The director of the NETFLIX series The Innocent Man tells News 4 he believes Ward deserves to be free.

How is this possible, how can it happen? Thats what the series tried to break down, how it could happen, Tweel said. That doesnt make it any less painful, and overwhelming, to think about that this guy has been in jail for that long.

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Freedom isnt happening for one Oklahoma man featured in the Netflix film The Innocent Man after a judge vacates his conviction - KFOR Oklahoma City