Closing arguments began Tuesday in the next phase of a civil trial after finding Rebecca Grossman, co-founder of the Grossman Burn Foundation, and former MLB pitcher Scott Erickson.
Rebecca Grossman and Scott Erickson were earlier found liable in a crash that killed Mark and Jacob Iskander, ages 11 and 8. Closing arguments began Tuesday in the next phase of a civil trial after Rebecca Grossman, co-founder of the Grossman Burn Foundation, and former MLB pitcher Scott Erickson were found liable in the deadly 2020 As part of the verdict in the earlier liability phase of the trial, the family of Mark and Jacob Iskander, ages 11 and 8, was awarded more than $170 million in damages.
Last week, jurors began considering whether punitive damages that could add up to tens of millions of dollars more should be awarded to the family.
"Punitive damages could be another phase of this trial," said NBCLA legal analyst Royal Oakes. "That's what happens if the judge allows this to go to a second phase. This could turn into 10 times that. So you could be looking at over a billion dollars by the end of this case.
" Attorneys delivered opening arguments Thursday in the new phase of the closely watched civil trial that will determine whether Grossman and Erickson owe more money. Attorneys for the Iskanders said they will show evidence that indicated Rebecca Grossman and her husband, Dr. Peter Grossman, have tried to conceal how much money they actually have. In court, they showed video of a deposition in which he was asked about the family's financials.
Grossman was asked by a family attorney whether he filed tax returns from the previous year, and how much Rebecca Grossman earned in 2021 or any year. He responded that he did not know. Defense attorneys said punitive damages should not be decided based on family assets, only on Rebecca Grossman's actions.
"They evidence will show that she had not earned income for many years since this accident and prior to this accident," attorney Esther Holm said. During closing arguments in the liability phase, an attorney for the family of two boys killed in the alleged street race between Grossman and Erickson asked jurors to assess hundreds of millions of dollars in damages.
The request from attorney Brian Panish, speaking to the Van Nuys Superior Court jury, came after weeks of testimony in the closely watched civil trial.
"It's not an accident when you speed and you drink and you drive impaired, who would act like that except someone who thinks they can do whatever they want and there's no consequences? " Panish said. Grossman attorney Esther Holm denied Grossman was impaired from alcohol or valium and said she never tried to flee and was not racing.and son Zachary.
They contend that Grossman and then-boyfriend Erickson, who briefly pitched for six teams during a 15-year MLB career, had cocktails and later engaged in a speed contest along Triunfo Canyon Road until they reached a crosswalk where the children were struck at about 80 mph in a 45 mph zone on Sept. 29, 2020. The mother of the two young boys who were killed when they were hit by a car driven by Rebecca Grossman delivered a heartbreaking testimony in court.
Camilla Rambaldi reports for the NBC4 News at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. In their court papers, the Iskander attorneys contend that the 62-year-old Grossman tried to flee the scene and likely would have succeeded had her vehicle not automatically shut down due to it sensing the massive impact that had just occurred.
Grossman was found guilty Feb. 23, 2024, of two counts each of second- degree murder and vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and one count of hit-and-run driving, and is serving a sentence of 15 years to life in prison. In March, a panel of the Second District Court of Appeal upheld the criminal case conviction.
After the crash, Grossman then lied to law enforcement about her speed and how much she had to drink, and contended she did not know why her airbag suddenly deployed despite her vehicle sustaining massive front-end damage, the Iskander attorneys further state. Grossman and Erickson have blamed each other for hitting the boys. Scott Erickson admitted to deleting text messages between him and Grossman after his then-girlfriend crashed into a Westlake Village family, killing two young brothers.
Keenan Willard reports for the NBC4 News at 4 p.m. on Monday, May 11, 2026. Erickson testified he wasn't"racing" Grossman before the crash although he did admit to driving 55 miles per hour in a 45-mile zone. Earlier, his former teammate Royce Clayton said during his testimony he had margaritas with Erickson and Grossman before the crash. Erickson said he no longer considers Clayton a buddy after he suggested Erickson and Grossman, were speeding.
Holm also said the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department"locked in" on Grossman during its investigation and didn't look at anything else, but her client nonetheless cooperated with deputies. The visibility to motorists of the pedestrian crossing sign warning drivers of the crosswalk ahead was impaired by trees and parked cars, Grossman did not try and flee the scene, her gait and speech were normal when tested for sobriety and she did not finish a margarita she had before the accident, according to Holm, who added that the Grossmans were separated at the time and had decided not to divorce after 26 years of marriage.
, who testified that Nancy Iskander has demonstrated multiple symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder since witnessing Grossman run over and kill two of her sons.
"Part of me is simply dead," Iskander said. "Part of my heart is gone. Iskander said she replays the tragic chain of events that led to the deaths of her sons in her head, six years after the deadly crash. She said the family often went on walks in the same area.
Socialite Rebecca Grossman is serving prison sentence for crashing into the young brothers in 2020. Camilla Rambaldi reports for the NBC4 News at 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 14, 2026. Mark was on a skateboard. Jacob was on skates.
The neighborhood was quiet until she heard the sounds of car engines.
"I also kept my eye on the road like every parent would do, right, just keep your eye on the road," Iskander said. "I heard the roaring engines in two cars, one black, one white, coming towards us. I thought for a second, 'What’s happening?
' They were accelerating toward the crosswalk is what I saw. " Iskander said she had to grab her other son Zachary out of the way of one of the cars. She said she saw the white car passing where she last saw her other two sons. Karim Iskander , took the stand last week.
During his testimony, the court was shown videos of the brothers and family members as Karim Iskander described what was happening in the clips. He was asked to speak at length about his children, their interests and aspirations. Iskander described the boys as kind-hearted and caring. He recalled the last birthday he spent with Mark at the beach, a few days before the deadly crash.
"We spent the day there, and it was amazing," Iskander said. "When I came back, I told my wife I had so much fun, I want to do this all the time, at least monthly. "
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