Los Angeles socialite Rebecca Grossman has pleaded not guilty to murder for a 2020 hit-and-run that resulted in the death of two young boys. The wealthy philanthropist faces second-degree murder charges for the car accident, which allegedly occurred while she was racing her Mercedes.
Grossman, 58, appeared Friday in court, facing charges for an incident back in September 2020. Behind the wheel of her Mercedes Benz in Los Angeles County’s Westlake Village, Grossman fatally struck Mark and Jacob Iskander (aged 11 and 9) on Sept. 29, 2020. Grossman was reportedly racing against ex-MLB pitcher Scott Erickson.
After she ran over them, she continued to drag one of them for 100 feet on her car hood before hitting the brakes. The child fell off her car, but before Grossman could flee the scene, she ran over him one final time. Now, the socialite blames the brothers’ deaths on the “poorly marked, unguarded, and unlit” crosswalk.
ADVERTISEMENT
“The prosecution’s continued insistence on making this a murder case by overcharging my client, a pillar of this community, with murder is nothing more than a transparent effort to force her to plea,” Grossman’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, said in a statement. “Such acts of gamesmanship impede progress in this important case. We won’t allow Rebecca to be bullied this way.”
The Iskander family, who have two other young children, were attempting to walk across a marked crosswalk (with no stoplight) when they heard a speeding car approaching. Buzbee stated that the two brothers were on “roller skates and a skateboard,” impeding on Grossman’s ability to hit the brakes in time.
“The city was repeatedly asked to upgrade and make the crosswalk safer,” Buzbee said. “That night, due to the darkness, lack of lighting and the color of clothing they were wearing, my client never saw those little boys.”
The socialite now faces charges of two felony counts of murder, two counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, and one felony count of hit-and-run driving resulting in death. Erickson has also been charged with reckless driving, though he does not face any of the murder charges.
Grossman, who formerly published Westlake Magazine, is best known for her contributions to the Grossman Burn Foundation. The socialite works with her husband, distinguished plastic surgeon Dr. Peter Grossman, on the foundation.
