Rebecca Grossman Convicted Murder Running Down Boys Westlake Village MyNewsLA.com

Rebecca Grossman convicted of second-degree murder for running down two young boys in Westlake Village intersection in 2020.

Rebecca Grossman, one of the co-founders of the Grossman Burn Foundation, was found guilty of second-degree murder and other charges on Friday for hitting two young boys in a Westlake Village intersection in 2020. The jury, comprised of nine men and three women, deliberated for about nine hours before reaching their decision. She was convicted of two counts of second-degree murder and vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, as well as one count of hit-and-run resulting in death. Grossman, 60, could face a maximum of 34 years to life in state prison, and the judge ordered her to be taken into custody immediately after the verdict was read.

Her daughter, Alexis, was visibly upset, and her teenage brother was visibly shaking after the verdict. The victims' mother, Nancy Iskander, was in tears after the first guilty verdict was announced. She expressed that she did not harbor any hatred for Grossman and that it was heartbreaking to see her taken away in handcuffs. She also mentioned that her heart breaks for Grossman's children. Iskander said that attending the trial felt like going to her sons' funeral every day and that the verdict brought her closure.

The prosecutor and the Iskander family expressed their satisfaction with the verdict, while Grossman's lead attorney stated that they would appeal due to numerous errors in the case. The trial involved a dispute over whether it was Grossman or her then-boyfriend, former Dodger Scott Erickson, who fatally struck the two boys. Prosecutors argued that Grossman was driving too fast and was impaired, while her attorneys maintained that it was Erickson who struck the boys first. The prosecution also alleged that Grossman continued driving after striking the boys, eventually stopping about a quarter-mile away from the scene when her car engine stopped running.

Despite the defense's contentions, the jury found Grossman guilty. The case has been marred by several incidents, including the release of videos and bodycam footage that were not allowed to be used in the trial. The judge declined to immediately order Grossman's custody after these incidents but warned her against providing evidence to reporters. The jury deliberated for about nine hours before reaching their decision. They asked to hear a read-back of trial testimony that centered on the placement of the pedestrians in the crosswalk, the position of the vehicles as they approached the crosswalk, and what the victim's mother saw and heard immediately before, during, and after she jumped out of the way with her youngest son to avoid being hit by the black SUV before Grossman's white Mercedes-Benz SUV passed through the crosswalk. The defense contended that the boys were not in the crosswalk when they were struck.

The case has been emotionally charged, with Grossman's children visibly upset, and the victims' family expressing their grief and the closure they hope to find after the trial. The prosecution and the Iskander family expressed their satisfaction with the verdict, while Grossman's lead attorney stated that they would appeal due to numerous errors in the case. The trial involved a dispute over whether it was Grossman or her then-boyfriend, former Dodger Scott Erickson, who fatally struck the two boys. Prosecutors argued that Grossman was driving too fast and was impaired, while her attorneys maintained that it was Erickson who struck the boys first. The prosecution also alleged that Grossman continued driving after striking the boys, eventually stopping about a quarter-mile away from the scene when her car engine stopped running.

Despite the defense's contentions, the jury found Grossman guilty. The case has been marred by several incidents, including the release of videos and bodycam footage that were not allowed to be used in the trial. The judge declined to immediately order Grossman's custody after these incidents but warned her against providing evidence to reporters. The jury deliberated for about nine hours before reaching their decision. They asked to hear a read-back of trial testimony that centered on the placement of the pedestrians in the crosswalk, the position of the vehicles as they approached the crosswalk, and what the victim's mother saw and heard immediately before, during, and after she jumped out of the way with her youngest son to avoid being hit by the black SUV before Grossman's white Mercedes-Benz SUV passed through the crosswalk. The defense contended that the boys were not in the crosswalk when they were struck.

The case has been emotionally charged, with Grossman's children visibly upset, and the victims' family expressing their grief and the closure they hope to find after the trial.

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