A Los Angeles socialite has been found guilty of murder for allegedly causing a fatal accident that resulted in the death of two young boys in a crosswalk while driving with her sports star partner.
Rebecca Grossman, 60, was found guilty of two counts of second-degree murder for the deaths of Mark Iskander, 11, and his brother Jacob Iskander, eight, on Friday after a six-week trial.
After two days of deliberations, the jury of nine men and three women reached a verdict following approximately nine hours of considering the evidence.
Grossman is looking at a potential 34 years to life in prison during the upcoming sentencing hearing set for 10 April.
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Throughout the trial, details emerged about the socialite’s evening with her partner, former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Scott Erickson.
They were seen speeding through an intersection in the residential area of Westlake Village, located northwest of LA, in September 2020.
Young Brothers Fatally Struck by SUV: A Tragic Incident
The two young individuals lost their lives when they were hit by a Mercedes-Benz SUV while crossing the street with their mother Nancy Iskander and five-year-old brother Zachary.
Mark passed away at the scene of the incident, while his younger brother Jacob passed away later at a local hospital.
Grossman was convicted of two counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and one count of hit-and-run driving resulting in death.
According to prosecutors, the socialite was drinking cocktails with Mr. Erickson at a nearby establishment before participating in a street race through the residential area, resulting in her crashing into the two boys at a speed exceeding 70 mph.
The speed limit in the area was set at 45mph.
She was following Mr. Erickson’s car when the accident occurred on Triunfo Canyon Road, as per Los Angeles County sheriff’s investigators’ testimony at a preliminary hearing in 2022.
Throughout the trial, Grossman’s lawyer, Tony Buzbee, tried to redirect responsibility for the boys’ unfortunate deaths to the former MLB player.
According to Mr. Buzbee, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s investigators failed to inspect Mr. Erickson’s black Mercedes SUV for damage, despite witness reports of him driving through the marked crosswalk shortly before Grossman.
During the closing arguments on Thursday, the defense made a final attempt to shift the blame to Mr. Erickson, alleging that it was his car that struck the boys.
Mr Erickson, aged 55, faced charges for reckless driving. In February 2022, a judge mandated that he create a public service announcement targeting high school students on the significance of safe driving. Mr Erickson refuted any allegations of misconduct.
During the pre-trial hearings in 2022, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Shellie Samuels found that the defense’s claim that Grossman was rushing home was inaccurate.
According to The Los Angeles Times, Judge Samuels stated that the defendant was not in a hurry to get home; instead, she was engaged in a high-speed game of chicken with Mr. Erickson. “I think the defendant’s actions far exceeded gross negligence.”