Roderic Hodge, a communications technician subpoenaed from Illinois, testified that in January 1987 LAPD Officer Mark Fuhrman turned around while Hodge sat handcuffed in the back of a police vehicle and said, 'I told you we would get you, Nigger.' Hodge described Fuhrman's tone as full of 'anger, hatred' and said he felt 'belittled, scared, very, very angry.' The direct examination was brief — just 82 utterances — but delivered a single devastating quote as the defense continued its pattern of establishing Fuhrman's history of racist conduct.
# 1 (The following proceedings were held in open court:) # 2 MR. COCHRAN: May I have just a second, your Honor?
# 3 (Discussion held off the record between Defense counsel.) # 4 THE COURT: Mr. Cochran.
# 5 MR. COCHRAN: Thank you very kindly, your Honor. Your Honor, our next witness is a Mr. Roderic Hodge. Mr. Hodge, would you come forward, sir, along with his counsel, your Honor.
# 6 THE COURT: Mr. Cochran, why don't you retrieve the exhibit that is up on the witness stand first, please.
# 7 MR. COCHRAN: Certainly.
# 9 MR. MILLER: Good morning, your Honor.
# 10 THE COURT: Your name for the record.
# 11 MR. MILLER: Judge, Irv Miller on behalf of Mr. Hodge.
# 12 THE COURT: All right. Good morning, counsel. Mrs. Robertson.
Roderic Hodge, called as a witness by the Defendant, was sworn and testified as follows:
# 13 THE CLERK: Please raise your right hand. You do solemnly swear that the testimony you may give in the cause now pending before this court, shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God.
# 15 THE CLERK: Please have a seat on the witness stand and state and spell your first and last names for the record.
# 16 MR. HODGE: First name is Roderic, R-O-D-E-R-I-C, Hodge, H-O-D-G-E.
# 17 THE CLERK: Thank you.
DIRECT EXAMINATION BY MR. COCHRAN
# 18 MR. COCHRAN: Good morning, Mr. Hodge.
# 19 MR. HODGE: Good morning, Mr. Cochran.
# 20 MR. COCHRAN: Would you move the microphone a little bit back, sir.
# 21 THE COURT: Just pull it closer to you.
# 23 MR. COCHRAN: Thank you, your Honor.
# 24 MR. COCHRAN: Mr. Hodge, just tell us what city do you presently reside in?
# 25 MR. HODGE: In Dalton, Illinois.
# 26 MR. COCHRAN: And that is near Chicago?
# 27 MR. HODGE: Yes, it is just south of Chicago, eight miles out of Chicago.
# 28 MR. COCHRAN: And have you come here today pursuant to a subpoena issued by this court from Illinois?
# 29 MR. HODGE: Yes, sir.
# 30 MR. COCHRAN: And when--how long have you been in California?
# 31 MR. HODGE: As of late--approximately one week.
# 32 MR. COCHRAN: About a week waiting to testify?
# 33 MR. HODGE: Yes, sir.
# 34 MR. COCHRAN: Now, what is your occupation generally, sir?
# 35 MR. HODGE: I'm currently a communications repair technician with Ryan Jennings Communications in Chicago, Illinois.
# 36 MR. COCHRAN: All right. I would like to cut to the chase and get right to it. Did you formerly live in California before you moved to Illinois?
# 37 MR. HODGE: Yes, sir.
# 38 MR. COCHRAN: And I would like specifically to direct your attention back to the month of January of 1987 and specifically January 11 of 1987. Did you have occasion to see or interact with a person by the name of Mark Fuhrman?
# 39 MR. HODGE: Yes, sir, I did.
# 40 MR. COCHRAN: Was he a Los Angeles police officer at that point?
# 41 MR. HODGE: Yes, sir.
# 42 MR. COCHRAN: On that date were you taken into custody by Mr. Fuhrman?
# 43 MR. HODGE: I believe so--I believe it was that date, yes, sir.
# 44 MR. COCHRAN: All right. Was it the 11th or 12th or do you know the exact date?
# 45 MR. HODGE: I am unable to recall the exact date, sir.
# 46 MR. COCHRAN: Was it in January of 1987?
# 47 MR. HODGE: Yes, sir.
# 48 MR. COCHRAN: All right. And do you remember who Mr. Fuhrman's partner was at that time?
# 49 MR. HODGE: Yes, sir. It was Vettraino. I referred to him as Vettraino. I believe it is Tom Vettraino.
# 50 MR. COCHRAN: Tom Vettraino?
# 51 MR. HODGE: Yes, sir.
# 52 MR. COCHRAN: At some point were you placed inside of a police vehicle?
# 53 MR. HODGE: Yes, sir, I was.
# 54 MR. COCHRAN: And after you were placed inside that police vehicle were you taken somewhere?
# 55 MR. HODGE: Yes, sir.
# 56 MR. COCHRAN: Do you remember which officer was driving the vehicle?
# 57 MR. HODGE: Yes, sir.
# 58 MR. COCHRAN: Who, which one?
# 59 MR. HODGE: That was Vettraino.
# 60 MR. COCHRAN: Who was Vettraino's partner officer at that time?
# 61 MR. HODGE: Officer Fuhrman.
# 62 MR. COCHRAN: And where was officer Fuhrman seated in the vehicle, if you recall?
# 63 MR. HODGE: On the passenger side of the vehicle.
# 64 MR. COCHRAN: And where were you seated?
# 65 MR. HODGE: In the rear of the vehicle.
# 66 MR. COCHRAN: Were you handcuffed at that point?
# 67 MR. HODGE: Yes, sir.
# 68 MR. COCHRAN: And did officer Fuhrman say something to you as he was seated in the right front passenger seat and you were in the rear portion of that police vehicle?
# 69 MR. HODGE: Yes, sir, he did.
# 70 MR. COCHRAN: Will you tell the ladies and gentlemen of the jury what officer Fuhrman said to you on this date in January of 1987?
# 71 MR. HODGE: Yes, sir. At that time officer Fuhrman turned around, looked at me and told me, "I told you we would get you, Nigger."
KEY QUOTE # 72 MR. COCHRAN: Did you hear--you heard him clearly?
# 73 MR. HODGE: Very clearly, sir.
# 74 MR. COCHRAN: And when he said this to you can you describe for us the tone of voice that he used?
# 75 MR. HODGE: Anger, hatred, just something from deep inside, if you would, just--just very ugly.
KEY QUOTE # 76 MR. COCHRAN: And when he made this statement to you can you describe for the jury how you felt?
# 77 MR. DARDEN: Objection, irrelevant.
# 78 THE COURT: Overruled.
# 79 MR. HODGE: Belittled, scared, very, very angry. Umm, I could use many more adjectives, but those--
KEY QUOTE # 80 MR. COCHRAN: Does that encapsulate how you felt?
# 81 MR. HODGE: Lightly, yes.
# 82 MR. COCHRAN: Thank you very much for coming today. Nothing further, your Honor.