The trial for socialite Rebecca Grossman, the co-founder of the Grossman Burn Foundation, who is charged with murder and other counts for allegedly hitting and killing two young brothers in Westlake Village, began Friday.
During opening statements, the prosecutor told jurors that the young boys, Mark and Jacob Iskander, didn’t have a chance. KNX News’ Margaret Carrero, who was in the courtroom, reported that based on black box data from Grossman’s white Mercedes SUV, the prosecutor said the boys were hit at more than 70 mph.
The brothers were crossing the street at the time. One was on a skateboard and the other was on rollerblades. Jacob was tossed about 50 to 70 feet and Mark was tossed approximately 254 feet.
The defense claimed that the boys were not on the crosswalk at the time, while the prosecutor argued that they were. Grossman’s lead attorney said they will prove it was Scott Erickson, a former Dodgers pitcher, who hit the boys with his black Mercedes and threw them onto Grossman's car several seconds later.
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Grossman and Erickson, who were dating at the time, had been to a restaurant before the accident. The defense showed surveillance video that they said showed Erickson’s car driving ahead of Grossman’s the night of the accident.
Grossman pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, gross vehicular manslaughter, and hit and run causing death.
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