Here are details from the Los Angeles District Attorney's office:
Fred Holiwell
Holiwell, the step-father of Stanley Williams, testified that he saw Williams at the Showcase club at Sunday, March 11, 1979. However, Holiwell was not at all sure as to the time he saw Williams. Holiwell, when initially interviewed by the police, said he saw Williams between 3:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. and that Williams then left. (TT 2621).However, under questioning by the defense, Holiwell said it could have been "around 5:00 or 5:15" in the morning, but he didn't "take note of the exact time" that he saw him. (TT 2614). Then, Holiwell said he didn't know when Williams left, explaining "I was in the back of my camper. So, how could I really see if he left?" (TT 2622).
Holiwell then admitted that he initially told the deputies that "he did not know how the defendant left." (TT 2622). Then, Holiwell even admitted that he never said he "definitely" saw Williams. Instead, he said he thought he saw him (TT 2622) but was "not sure." (TT 2625).
Eugene Riley
Eugene Riley was a county jail inmate who, prior to trial, had been housed with and had spoken with Williams. (TT 2640). He claimed he saw Williams at the Showcase at "about 5:30" in the morning on Sunday, March 11, 1979. (TT 2642). After watching Williams smoke a sherm (PCP cigarette), he drove Williams to the home of James Garrett. (TT 2644).The next time he claimed to have seen Williams was in 1981, when they were both housed together in jail. (TT 2645). At that time, Williams and Riley spoke about Riley testifying as a witness for Williams. (TT 2646).
However, prior to that conversation, Riley admitted he had never previously talked about the night of March 11, 1979, and he had never heard of the Brookhaven murders. (TT 2658). As such, Riley was unable to explain how he was able to recall these events. The only logical explanation, and surely the explanation drawn by the jury, was that Williams spoke with Riley in jail and told him what to say on the stand.
Joseph McFarland
Joseph McFarland, who had previously been convicted of seven felonies (Penal Code 664/211) was also a county jail inmate who, prior to trial, had been housed with and had spoken with both Stanley Williams and Eugene Riley. (TT 2677, 2693, 2725, 2729). McFarland testified that George Oglesby was a "jailhouse rat" (TT 2683) and that some inmates gave Oglesby fake information, knowing he would take it to the deputies. (TT 2684).However, McFarland admitted he did not know what Williams had told Oglesby. (TT 2742). McFarland also testified that Williams did pass an escape note to Oglesby. (TT 2693-2694, 2697). Lastly, McFarland testified that Williams told him (McFarland) about the notes and that he (Williams) wanted McFarland to testify about them. (TT 2699).
