What Happened to Rebecca Grossman?

Rebecca Grossman's legal saga began on September 29, 2020, when she was involved in a tragic hit-and-run incident in Westlake Village, California, that resulted in the deaths of 11-year-old Mark Iskander and his 8-year-old brother, Jacob. Prosecutors alleged that Grossman, after having drinks with former Dodgers player Scott Erickson, was speeding and potentially racing him when her white Mercedes-Benz SUV struck the boys in a marked crosswalk. Data from her vehicle indicated she was driving as fast as 81 mph and was still traveling at 73 mph less than two seconds before impact.

The core of the prosecution's case for second-degree murder rested on the concept of "implied malice" – that Grossman acted with a conscious disregard for human life by driving at excessive speeds through a residential neighborhood after consuming alcohol. Her defense consistently argued that Erickson's vehicle struck the children first and that the judge's instructions to the jury on implied malice were erroneous.

After a six-week trial filled with dramatic testimony, a jury found Grossman guilty on February 23, 2024, of two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter, and one count of hit-and-run driving resulting in death. Prosecutors had sought a sentence of 34 years to life, citing her alleged lack of remorse and attempts to manipulate the case. However, on June 10, 2024, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Joseph Brandolino sentenced Grossman to two concurrent terms of 15 years to life in prison, plus another concurrent three years for fleeing the scene. The judge stated that such a lengthy term as requested by the prosecution was "just not warranted here." Grossman was also ordered to pay $47,161.89 in restitution to the Iskander family.

Following her conviction and sentencing, Grossman filed an appeal in June 2024. Her new legal team argued before a three-judge panel of California's Second Appellate District on February 3, 2026, that the trial judge failed to properly instruct the jury on the definition of "implied malice," suggesting that a manslaughter conviction would have been more appropriate. However, on March 17, 2026, the appeals court panel unanimously upheld her second-degree murder convictions. Associate Justice Carl Moor, writing for the panel, stated that the evidence of Grossman's highly dangerous and impaired driving was "more than sufficient to sustain the jury's finding that it was highly probable Grossman's conduct would result in death."

As of March 18, 2026, Rebecca Grossman is serving her 15-years-to-life sentence in state prison. The Iskander family is also pursuing a civil wrongful death lawsuit against Grossman and Erickson, with a civil jury trial scheduled to begin in April 2026.