Los Angeles, California – A socialite named Rebecca Grossman was found guilty on Friday by a Los Angeles County jury on all five charges, including murder, in connection to the tragic deaths of two young boys who were struck in a Westlake Village crosswalk by Grossman’s car in 2020. This decision came after nearly two days of deliberation by a nine-man, three-woman panel.
The 60-year-old Grossman was convicted on two counts each of murder and vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, as well as one felony count of hit-and-run driving. Deputy District Attorney Ryan Gould argued that the boys, 11-year-old Mark Iskander and his 8-year-old brother, Jacob, were hit by Grossman’s speeding white Mercedes-Benz SUV while she was allegedly driving impaired and too fast.
Following the announcement of the verdict, the parents of Mark and Jacob, Nancy and Karim Iskander, expressed their relief after more than three years of waiting for closure. Nancy Iskander emphasized that her sons were murdered and stated that she harbored no hate towards Grossman, instead feeling empathy for her as a mother during the emotional scene in the Van Nuys courtroom.
During the trial, prosecutors contended that Grossman failed to fulfill her duty to stop after hitting the children in a marked crosswalk, never returning to the scene. However, Grossman’s defense team, led by Tony Buzbee, argued that she was not the one responsible for the fatal collision. Buzbee alleged that former Dodger pitcher Scott Erickson, Grossman’s purported love interest at the time, was actually at fault.
The prosecution presented evidence that Grossman was speeding at 81 mph in a 45-mph zone and that data from her vehicle’s black box supported this claim. On the other hand, Buzbee insisted Grossman was driving at most 52 mph and placed blame on Erickson, who was driving a black Mercedes SUV ahead of Grossman’s vehicle.
Upon the guilty verdict, Grossman was immediately taken into custody, with a judge denying the defense’s request for her to remain free before sentencing. The sentencing is scheduled for April 10, where Grossman could face up to 34 years to life in state prison for her role in the tragic incident.