An attorney has urged jurors to deliver a multimillion-dollar verdict against Rebecca Grossman and Scott Erickson, accusing them of street racing and acting with impunity before Grossman fatally struck two young boys in a crosswalk. The closing arguments in the civil wrongful death lawsuit, filed by the parents of the Iskander brothers, concluded Monday, with the attorney emphasizing a forthcoming "day of reckoning" for the defendants.
Brian Panish, representing the boys' parents, Nancy and Karim Iskander, and their surviving son, Zachary, argued that the deaths of 11-year-old Mark and 8-year-old Jacob were not accidental, citing speed, alcohol, and impaired driving. Grossman was previously convicted in February 2024 of second-degree murder for the incident and is serving a 15-year-to-life sentence. Panish asserted that the defendants' actions stemmed from a belief that they were above the law and immune to consequences.
The civil case, which commenced in late April, saw lawyers for Grossman and Erickson contend that no evidence supported claims of racing or impairment. They argued that while the boys' deaths were tragic, the plaintiffs' demand for hundreds of millions of dollars was not justified by the evidence presented. Panish countered by reminding jurors of witness testimonies indicating Grossman and her then-partner Erickson were racing their SUVs on the roads surrounding a lake in Westlake Village in September 2020, following a period of drinking margaritas.
During the proceedings, Nancy Iskander testified that she was crossing the street with her youngest son on a scooter, while Mark and Jacob followed on a skateboard and inline skates, respectively. She recounted that Erickson's vehicle narrowly missed her and her sons, after which Grossman's SUV struck the two older boys at a high speed. Expert testimony indicated that Grossman was traveling at nearly 73 mph, with one expert suggesting that a collision would have been avoided if she had been driving at the posted 45 mph speed limit. Erickson, a former Dodgers pitcher, testified he was driving 55 mph in a 45 mph zone, though an expert estimated his speed closer to 80 mph.
Grossman's attorney, Esther Holm, argued that her client was not impaired and was traveling at approximately 52 mph, not racing Erickson. Holm suggested that Grossman was distracted by Nancy Iskander's evasive maneuver and that visibility of the crosswalk sign was obstructed by trees and parked cars. She also highlighted potential city liability, citing previous complaints about the intersection. Erickson's lawyer, Jeff Braun, maintained that his client never struck the boys and was not at fault, though he conceded Erickson had made "stupid decisions" and lied to authorities after the crash. Braun proposed a "reasonable sum" of $10 million for the loss, a figure Panish deemed insufficient, seeking approximately $430 million and reiterating that the defendants had failed to accept responsibility.
