In a dramatic turn in the ongoing murder trial of Rebecca Grossman, prominent plastic surgeon Dr. Peter Grossman, her husband, took the stand this week, providing crucial testimony regarding his wife’s state of mind and their relationship leading up to the fatal crash. The trial centers around the tragic deaths of two young brothers, Mark and Jacob Iskander, who were killed in Westlake Village on September 29, 2020. Rebecca Grossman is accused of driving under the influence and at excessive speeds when her Mercedes SUV struck the boys as they were crossing Triunfo Canyon Road with their family.
Dr. Grossman recounted the moment he learned about the devastating incident. He testified that his teenage daughter was the first to inform him about the crash that claimed the lives of Mark, 11, and Jacob Iskander, 8. The prosecution alleges that Rebecca Grossman was driving at speeds reaching 81 mph in the moments before impact in a 45 mph zone. She faces severe charges, including two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of vehicular manslaughter, and hit-and-run driving. Grossman has pleaded not guilty, and her defense team is arguing that another vehicle, driven by former professional baseball player Scott Erickson, who was with Grossman prior to the incident, may have been responsible for initially hitting the children.
The defense’s case commenced this Tuesday with Dr. Peter Grossman as their initial witness. He testified about picking up his wife from a women’s detention center on the night of the incident. Describing her emotional condition, Dr. Grossman stated, “My wife was almost inconsolable.” This testimony aims to portray Rebecca Grossman as distraught and potentially not fully aware of the events, which could be relevant to the charges against her.
Leading up to the crash, Rebecca Grossman and Scott Erickson had been together, having drinks before deciding to head to Grossman’s residence near Westlake Lake to watch a presidential debate. They were traveling in separate Mercedes SUVs – Grossman in a white one and Erickson in a black SUV, according to previous witness accounts. A key element of the defense strategy is to suggest that Erickson’s black SUV was the first vehicle to strike the Iskander brothers. Furthermore, Grossman’s attorneys have argued that the boys were not within the designated crosswalk at the time of the accident, aiming to diminish Rebecca Grossman’s culpability.
However, several eyewitnesses present at the scene have contradicted this claim, asserting that the Iskander family was indeed within the crosswalk when tragedy struck. Data retrieved from Rebecca Grossman’s SUV indicated a speed of 73 mph at the time of the collision. In an attempt to counter this, the defense presented an expert witness who analyzed surveillance footage from nearby cameras. This expert claimed that the footage suggested Grossman’s speed was approximately 52 mph a few hundred feet past the crosswalk. The prosecution challenged the accuracy of this analysis, pointing out that the video was recorded on a cellphone, which could compromise the precision of speed calculations.
During cross-examination by Deputy District Attorney Jamie Castro, Dr. Peter Grossman was questioned about his wife’s driving habits. When asked if he was aware of his wife occasionally exceeding speed limits, Dr. Grossman claimed he had no specific recollection of such instances, despite acknowledging that he had been a passenger in vehicles driven by her hundreds of times. This part of the testimony was particularly sensitive given Rebecca Grossman’s past traffic violations.
Prior to Dr. Grossman’s testimony, it was revealed that a California Highway Patrol officer had previously issued Rebecca Grossman a speeding ticket in 2013 for driving 92 mph in a 65 mph zone. The prosecution also alluded to three other prior speeding tickets. However, as the defense strategically avoided directly questioning Dr. Grossman about his wife’s driving habits, the jury was not presented with evidence of these past citations. This was likely a deliberate tactic to prevent potentially damaging information about Rebecca Grossman’s driving history from influencing the jury.
Dr. Grossman also provided insights into his relationship with Rebecca Grossman. He testified that while they were still married and co-parenting their children, they had decided to date other people in 2020 and were in the process of renovating a new house by Westlake Lake, in addition to their family home in Hidden Hills. Despite these personal details, the core of his testimony remained focused on the events surrounding the crash and his wife’s emotional state immediately after.
Rebecca Grossman remains out of custody on bail as the trial continues. The proceedings are scheduled to resume on Thursday, where further testimonies and evidence are expected to be presented in this highly publicized and emotionally charged case. The outcome of the trial will have significant implications for all parties involved, particularly the Iskander family who are seeking justice for the loss of their two young sons. The testimony of Dr. Peter Grossman is a critical piece of the puzzle as the court seeks to determine the truth behind this tragic event.
