Here are more witnesses who testified against Tookie Williams in his murder trial:
Ester Garrett
Ester Garrett was the wife of James Garrett. (TT 1899). She also participated in conversations with Williams regarding his involvement in these murders. Moreover, she relayed these conversations to the jury. According to Mrs. Garrett, Williams told her he broke down the motel door with his shoulder, shot the lady by the register (Mrs. Yang), shot the man on the couch (Mr. Yang), and shot the lady coming through the door (Mrs. Lin). He described the victims as "Buddhaheads." (TT 1915-1916, 1917, 1931).Williams also told Mrs. Garrett that he killed some "white dude" for about $63.00 and that Blackie (Coward) couldn't handle it so he vomited. (TT 1917). Williams also stated that he was concerned Blackie might talk to the police and, as a result, he (Williams) might kill Blackie. (TT 1917).
Ester Garrett was not an accomplice, she was not a jailhouse informant, she was not facing a lengthy prison term or death, and she was not granted freedom or a vastly reduced sentence for her testimony. Like Mr. Garrett, she had previously been in trouble with the law. However, the jury was informed of this criminal past and still found Williams guilty of all four murders.
Alfred Coward
Alfred Coward (Blackie) was with Stanley Williams the night Williams shot and killed Albert Owens. (TT 2093-2164). Mr. Coward provided the jury with a detailed account of the 20 events leading up to the murder of Mr. Owens. (TT 2093-2164). For example, Coward described how Williams retrieved his shotgun and another gun earlier in the night. (TT 2098, 2117-2118).Mr. Coward described the vehicles used, namely a 1969 Cadillac and an old brown station wagon. (TT 2097-2099). Mr. Coward explained that he, Williams, Tony Sims, and a fourth man named Darryl, drove to the Stop-N-Go to commit a robbery, that Darryl (wearing a corduroy jacket) and Sims (wearing a green jogging suit) entered the store but failed to complete the planned crime, and that all four men then drove to the 7-Eleven to make a new attempt. (TT 2093-2143, 2186).
Mr. Coward explained that when they arrived at the 7-Eleven, Mr. Owens was sweeping the parking lot. (TT 2145-2147, 2186). The men exited their respective vehicles, at which time Williams put his shotgun to Mr. Owens and forced him into the back of the store. (TT 2145-2154). Coward described how Williams forced Owens to the floor, shot out the security monitor, and then shot Owens twice in the back with the shotgun. (TT 2157-2164).
Mr. Coward also explained how Williams laughed about the murder of Albert Owens. (TT 2195-2197). Specifically, Mr. Coward heard Williams say "you should have heard the way he sounded when I shot him." Williams followed this comment by making growling noises and then laughing hysterically. (TT 2195-2197).
Albert Coward was an accomplice in this crime. He was with the three other individuals during the time the weapons were gathered by Williams, and he drove his 1969 Cadillac to the various locations. Additionally, he entered the 7-Eleven along with the other men.
Alfred Coward was given immunity. This grant of immunity, which was revealed to the jury, was granted to ensure the successful prosecution and conviction of the actual killer, Stanley Williams.
Johnny Garcia
In February 1979, Johnny Garcia worked the night shift at the Stop-N-Go. (TT 2046). Mr. Garcia testified that on February 28, 1979, at approximately 4:00 a.m., he had just finished mopping the floors. (TT 2047). At that time, he saw four black males at the front door of the store. He also saw a station wagon in the parking lot. (TT 2047-2048).According to Mr. Garcia, two of the four men entered the store, walked around the store for a few minutes, asked for a cigarette and then left the store. Mr. Garcia described the two men as black males, with one wearing a green jogging suit and one wearing a brown coat. (TT 2048-2050).
Johnny Garcia was not an accomplice, he was not a jailhouse informant, he was not facing a lengthy prison term or death, and he was not granted freedom or a vastly reduced sentence for his testimony. Mr. Garcia, by all accounts, was a hard-working night teller at this convenience store.
His testimony, although it did not directly link Williams to the plot, was notable in that it directly corroborated much of Alfred Coward's testimony about being at the Stop-N-Go to commit a robbery, that one of the vehicles was a station wagon, and about the clothing worn by two of the men.
