A former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher and boyfriend of an L.A. socialite charged with homicide within the deaths of two younger brothers is accountable for the fatalities as a result of his automobile struck the boys first, protection attorneys advised jurors Friday.
Greater than three years after Rebecca Grossman was charged with the murders of Jacob and Mark Iskander, 8 and 11, opening statements started with the protection pointing the finger at Scott Erickson, who they are saying was the primary to barrel by way of the Westlake crosswalk the place the kids have been hit.
Tony Buzbee, Grossman’s lead legal professional, advised jurors “she didn’t do something, however another person did,” including that authorities by no means examined Erickson’s automobile after the lethal incident.
Witnesses are anticipated to testify they heard Erickson’s high-powered black Mercedes SUV racing down the road and noticed it strike each boys, who have been hurled by way of the air after the collision.
Buzbee stated he’ll introduce video proof exhibiting that after the crash, the previous Dodger was nonetheless touring 70 mph, a velocity the protection says was greater than 20 mph sooner than Grossman.
“We’ll show that the black automotive was pushed by Scott Erickson, who stopped down the street and hid within the bushes and watched,” Buzbee stated. “Scott Erickson’s automotive hit these kids. That’s what … the science on this case will present.”
Prosecutors, nonetheless, argued that Grossman, who was trailing Erickson’s SUV, sped by way of the marked crosswalk on Triunfo Canyon Street at Saddle Mountain Drive at greater than 70 mph.
Los Angeles County Deputy Dist. Atty. Ryan Gould stated the 60-year-old Hidden Hills socialite had alcohol and medicines in her system, which impaired her driving. He stated Grossman solely stopped after her Mercedes was disabled by security programs following the collision.
Grossman is charged with two counts of second-degree homicide, two counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and one depend of hit-and-run driving leading to demise. If convicted of all fees, she faces 34 years to life in jail.
Graphic testimony is predicted from Nancy Iskander, who was crossing the road on Sept. 29, 2020, with three of her kids when she heard the roar of approaching engines on the quiet 45-mph avenue. She testified throughout a preliminary listening to in 2022 that she threw up her proper hand in a determined effort to cease the oncoming autos and grabbed her 5-year-old son, Zachary, pulling him to security. She couldn’t attain Mark and Jacob, who have been farther into the road. She stated she and Jacob have been on inline skates, Zachary was on his scooter and Mark was on his skateboard because the household crossed the residential boulevard. Her husband and daughter have been jogging close by.
Gould advised jurors on Friday that Grossman, who prosecutors say was dashing dwelling behind Erickson after the 2 had been consuming at a close-by restaurant, “knew what she was doing was extremely harmful.”
She had an preliminary blood-alcohol degree of 0.08%, which signifies impaired driving in California, courtroom information present. A second examination of the pattern hours later returned a degree at 0.0074%/0.075%. Valium was additionally present in her blood pattern.
“She acted with implied malice,” the mandatory component prosecutors have to show second-degree homicide, Gould stated. “If she was doing the velocity restrict, she wouldn’t have hit Mark and Jacob; they might have had time to cross.”
Prosecution witnesses are anticipated to testify they noticed the dashing SUVs, with one describing the sound of the highly effective autos “like an 18-wheeler.”
“They make the right-hand flip, after which they punch it,” Gould advised the jurors.
The black field on Grossman’s SUV confirmed she was going 73 mph at impression, and the gap the boys have been thrown — Jacob about 50 ft and Mark 254 ft — supported a velocity of greater than 70 mph at impression, Gould stated. Mark died of traumatic blunt pressure damage, and Jacob was internally decapitated, he advised jurors.
Gould stated Grossman didn’t cease for over a 3rd of a mile from the intersection and solely did so as a result of her Mercedes’ airbag deployed, triggering a gas shutoff and a name to a security operator.
He performed a tape of Grossman telling an operator: “I used to be driving down the street, swiftly, my bag exploded.” When a 911 operator on the road with the Mercedes consultant requested, “Did they hit an individual? They stated the 2 youngsters have been hit on Rollerblades?” Grossman replied, “No.”
However Buzbee argued his shopper was not the one to fatally strike the kids, suggesting the Iskander brothers “weren’t within the crosswalk,” and as an alternative have been slicing a nook. He stated the front-end harm to her automobile was brought on when one of many boys — first hit by Erickson — bounced onto her SUV. He additionally promised an professional would testify why Grossman’s airbag deployed whereas Erickson’s didn’t.
“We’ll present that the investigation was completely horrible,” the lawyer advised a jury panel of 9 males and three ladies. “We’ll present a black AMG Mercedes … is the automotive that hit the kids first,” including that “a number of eyewitnesses heard two impacts.”
He stated Grossman’s driving was not impaired — she had “a drink and a half in two hours” — and the quantity of Valium in her system was barely detectable. He beforehand argued the pedestrian crossing was a recognized hazard and stated video from a close-by dwelling safety system the night time of the crash will let jurors “see how darkish it was.”
Buzbee stated Erickson, 55, lied to sheriff’s investigators in regards to the automobile he was driving that night time, noting that he “stopped down the street and hid within the bushes and watched” as police investigated the crash earlier than going to Grossman’s home, talking together with her daughter after which going dwelling.
Erickson has denied any wrongdoing within the deadly crash and had a misdemeanor cost in opposition to him dismissed after making a public service announcement in regards to the significance of protected driving.
“We’ll emphasize science over emotion,” Buzbee stated.
Clad in a navy blue cardigan, white shirt and glasses, Grossman stored her gaze firmly on the jury throughout opening statements. She hugged her son, daughter and husband — Dr. Peter Grossman, director of the Grossman Burn Heart — throughout a break. Peter Grossman has stated he and his spouse have been separated on the time of the deadly crash.
“This case is about two households,” Buzbee stated. “However nobody from our aspect will attempt to reduce the tragedy.”
“Use your braveness and discover Mrs. Grossman not responsible.”
