A California appeals court has upheld Rebecca Grossman’s second-degree murder convictions and her 15-years-to-life prison sentence for killing two young brothers in a Westlake Village crosswalk. The court’s decision reaffirms the 2024 jury verdict and rejects claims that she should have been convicted of only manslaughter.
The Appeal and Court Ruling
On Tuesday, a three-judge panel of the California 2nd District Court of Appeals confirmed Grossman’s conviction. The court disagreed with her defense team, which argued that she should have been found guilty of manslaughter instead of murder.
The judges found there was enough evidence to prove that Grossman acted with “implied malice” when she drove at high speeds through a residential area and a marked crosswalk.
The Incident and Grossman’s Conviction
Rebecca Grossman, co-founder of the Grossman Burn Foundation, was convicted of two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter, and one count of hit-and-run driving. The incident occurred on September 29, 2020, when Grossman, who was 62 at the time, was driving her white Mercedes SUV at speeds over 70 mph on Triunfo Canyon Road in Westlake Village.
She struck two young brothers, 11-year-old Mark Iskander and 8-year-old Jacob Iskander, as they were crossing a marked pedestrian crosswalk with their family. The intersection where the incident occurred had no stoplight. Investigators revealed that Grossman reached speeds of up to 81 mph shortly before the impact.
The Impact on the Family
The children’s mother heard engines revving and quickly pulled her youngest child to safety. Unfortunately, Mark and Jacob were further into the crosswalk and were struck by Grossman’s vehicle. One of the boys died at the scene, and the other died later in the hospital.
Appeal Arguments and Court’s Decision
Grossman’s attorney argued during the appeal that prosecutors had not proven implied malice and claimed that the trial judge had not properly explained this legal standard to the jury. However, the appeals court disagreed, affirming that driving at excessive speeds through a pedestrian crosswalk, especially after drinking, showed the necessary mental state for second-degree murder.
Reactions and Legal Path Ahead
Los Angeles County prosecutors celebrated the ruling, noting that it shows the law applies equally to wealthy and well-connected defendants. While Grossman may still seek a review from the California Supreme Court, it is not guaranteed that the court will take her case.
