A quiet Chris Rock testifies about Pellicano

Looking like he was on his way to the dentist’s office for a root canal, Chris Rock walked into a packed L.A. courtroom this morning morning in a dark suit and dark blue shirt to testify about his involvement with Anthony Pellicano.

On the stand, Rock was uncharacteristically sober and soft spoken. One of the funniest men in Hollywood barely whispered his name into the microphone as he began to testify about his dealings with Pellicano, a well-known private investigator to the stars on trial on federal wiretapping and racketeering charges.

“Mr. Rock?” U.S. District Judge Dale S. Fischer said brightly. “Project.”

She waved her arm up toward the courtroom.

He obliged–but just barely–as federal prosecutor Daniel Saunders took him through the basics of his story.

“In late 1998 did you meet a woman named Monika Zsibrita?”

“Yes,” Rock answered.

“And she is a model?”

“Yes,” Rock answered.

“In 1999, did she make a claim she was pregnant with your child?”

“Yes,” said Rock.

“And two DNA tests later, it was proven she did not have your child?”

“Yes,” said Rock.

Then Saunders asked Rock to name the private detective he had hired in 1999.

“Anthony Pellicano,” said Rock.

The government alleges that Pellicano obtained unauthorized DMV and police information on Zsibrita after she asked Rock for money.

Under cross-examination by defense attorney Chad Hummel, who represents one of Pellicano’s four co-defendants – former Los Angeles Police Sgt. Mark Arneson – Rock confirmed that he felt he was being shaken down by Zsibrita.

“Someone who was not pregnant with my child claimed to be pregnant with my child and requested large sums of money,” testified Rock, who also was told by Pellicano that Zsibrita had filed an assault claim against him.

Hummel asked Rock if he believed he had harmed Zsibrita in any way.

“I’m here as a free man,” Rock said. “I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Pellicano, who is defending himself, declined to cross-examine Rock. When the judge dismissed him, Rock left the witness stand, walked out of the courtroom and disappeared into an elevator with his bodyguard. He was on the stand for less than 15 minutes.

The comedian was the latest in a string of Hollywood luminaries – including Paramount Pictures Chairman Brad Grey, actor Keith Carradine and comedian Garry Shandling – to appear on the witness stand in the long-awaited trial that began in early March.

carla.hall@latimes.com