Rebecca Grossman guilty of murder in killing of two young brothers. She vows to appeal

A jury on Friday discovered Rebecca Grossman responsible of homicide within the killing of two young brothers who have been crossing a road in Westlake Village when her dashing Mercedes hit them.

The decision caps a authorized drama that generated worldwide consideration partly as a result of Grossman is a outstanding determine who co-founded the Grossman Burn Basis along with her husband, Dr. Peter Grossman.

The verdict was learn in a tense, packed Van Nuys courtroom. The jury of 9 males and three ladies discovered Grossman responsible of two counts of homicide, two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter and one rely of hit and run within the 2020 deaths of Mark and Jacob Iskander, ages 11 and eight. She faces 34 years to life in jail and is scheduled to return to court docket April 10 for sentencing.

“My household has been ready for this for 3 and a half years now,” Nancy Iskander, the boys’ mom, mentioned after the resolution was introduced. “I give glory to God.”

Grossman’s lead legal professional, Tony Buzbee, referred to as the decision sudden and vowed to attraction.

Because the responsible verdict was learn aloud in court docket, Alexis Grossman, Rebecca’s daughter, cried out, “Oh my God, Oh my God,” as tears ran down her cheeks.

Rebecca Grossman, additionally with tears streaking her face, turned towards her daughter to attempt to calm her, as Peter Grossman hugged Alexis.

Los Angeles County Superior Court docket Choose Joseph Brandolino mentioned justice might now not be delayed, and a deputy moved to handcuff Grossman.

Alexis Grossman screamed as her mom was taken into custody. Her mom begged her to cease earlier than being escorted from the courtroom.

All through the six-week trial, jurors have been introduced with two very completely different variations of Grossman and the collision that ended the lives of the 2 younger brothers.

“This was not a tragic accident,” Deputy Dist. Atty. Jamie Castro mentioned in Wednesday’s closing arguments. “This was homicide.”

However Buzbee launched into his closing assertion with phrases he’d repeated all through the trial: “Where is Scott Erickson?”, attempting to pin duty for the crash on the previous Dodgers pitcher.

Erickson has denied wrongdoing. Although he was at one point charged with a misdemeanor in connection with the crash, it was dismissed after he made a public service announcement for teenagers concerning the significance of secure driving.

Prosecutors alleged Grossman, 60, had cocktails with Erickson after which raced with him — he in his black Mercedes sport utility automobile and he or she in her white Mercedes SUV — alongside Triunfo Canyon Highway till they reached a crosswalk, the place she fatally struck the Iskander brothers.

Grossman, Castro mentioned, confirmed aware disregard for human life and knew her velocity might be harmful on a suburban road with pedestrian site visitors as a result of police had warned her of the hazards previously. Prosecutors additionally alleged that Grossman traveled a 3rd of a mile after slamming into the youngsters earlier than security options in her automotive robotically shut it down.

“She had a history of speeding. She’d texted about it,” Castro mentioned. “She acted with disregard for human life.”

However all through the trial, Buzbee continued to level the finger at Erickson, who was the primary to barrel by way of the crosswalk. Crash reconstruction specialists for the protection testified that Erickson’s Mercedes hit the boys first, sending Mark over his automobile and onto the hood of Grossman’s automobile.

It was round 7 p.m. on Sept. 29, 2020, when Nancy Iskander and her three sons approached the crosswalk. Carrying inline skates, Iskander started to cross Triunfo Canyon Highway at Saddle Mountain Drive. Her youngest son, Zachary, was subsequent to her on his scooter. Mark, on a skateboard, and Jacob, additionally carrying inline skates, have been additionally within the crosswalk.

“The mom did all the pieces proper,” Castro mentioned. “Rebecca Grossman did all the pieces unsuitable.”

Iskander testified throughout the trial that she heard revving engines and regarded as much as see a black SUV dashing towards the intersection. She dived out of the way in which, pulling Zachary to security.

However she testified {that a} white Mercedes SUV was following carefully behind the black automobile. When it went by way of the crosswalk, Iskander mentioned, she heard an affect, and her two oldest boys have been gone.

Jacob was discovered close to the curb about 50 ft from the crosswalk. He was taken to a hospital, the place he was pronounced useless a couple of hours later. Mark’s physique was discovered 254 ft away.

Prosecutors accused Grossman of reaching 81 mph earlier than calmly braking and hitting the brothers at 73 mph, primarily based on the automotive’s information recorder and the space Mark was discovered from the crosswalk. However Buzbee referred to as in specialists who testified that the info weren’t dependable and that Grossman was touring at 52 mph primarily based on a video captured seconds after the collision.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Ryan Gould mentioned he was glad the Erickson argument didn’t develop into a distraction for the jurors.

“We thought the proof spoke for itself,” Gould mentioned. “As we argued in closing, there was not a shred of proof that he was concerned. And the jury clearly felt that manner too.

“This can be a day for the Iskanders, Mark and Jacob and the neighborhood of Westlake Village,” he mentioned. “We received justice for the youngsters.”

After the decision was learn late Friday afternoon, Karim Iskander, the boys’ father, thanked the jury.

“Thanks for not falling into the imaginary conspiracy theories and tips,” he mentioned. It took “loads of persistence, so I actually admire you getting closure.”

Nancy Iskander thanked the prosecutors for his or her laborious work on the case.

“They went above and past. … They’ve completed their job and and we at the moment are prepared to start out our therapeutic course of,” she mentioned. “We’ve a justice system that we are able to belief, thank God.”

She declined to touch upon the upcoming sentencing, saying she would “depart that as much as the decide.”

Although the boys’ dad and mom felt justice was served within the case, Nancy Iskander mentioned it didn’t convey her pleasure to see Grossman in handcuffs.

“Nobody needs that on anybody,” she mentioned. “I promise I would not have any hate for her. My coronary heart broke for her kids. … It wasn’t straightforward, however it would convey me closure.”