On Thursday, Rebecca Grossman’s attorney revealed that the convicted murderer, known for her charitable work, does not earn a salary. This statement followed a jury’s decision that Grossman and her former partner, ex-baseball player Scott Erickson, owe $176 million in compensatory damages to the family of two young brothers who lost their lives due to Grossman’s actions.
Attorney Esther Holm made this announcement at the beginning of the trial’s second phase, where jurors will determine further punitive damages against Grossman, 64, and Erickson, 58. The damages pertain to the tragic deaths of Mark, aged 11, and Jacob Iskander, aged eight.
During Thursday’s proceedings, Brian Panish, representing the boys’ parents, Nancy and Karim Iskander, accused Grossman and her husband, Dr. Peter Grossman, a well-known plastic surgeon, of attempting to shield their assets. He alleged they transferred properties into trusts to avoid financial responsibility to the Iskanders.
In response, Holm argued that these property transfers were entirely legal and noted that Grossman hasn’t received any income for years leading up to the accident, as she was engaged in unpaid charity work.
Meanwhile, Erickson’s lawyer, Jeff Braun, informed the jury about the former pitcher’s limited financial resources. According to Braun, Erickson’s assets include $9,000 in his bank account, $242,000 in an investment account, $804,000 in a professional baseball retirement account that pays him $13,000 monthly, and $100,000 in equity in his Las Vegas condo.
The jury was unable to come to a conclusion on Thursday and was dismissed early due to a witness being delayed by traffic.
Holm’s statement came just one day after Grossman and Erickson were found to have acted ‘with malice or oppression’ before the crash, meaning that they both face paying millions more in punitive damages on top of the $176 million.
Jurors delivered their verdict Wednesday in the eighth week of a civil wrongful death trial in which the pair were accused of drinking cocktails and racing their Mercedes SUVs shortly before Grossman fatally struck the Iskander brothers in September 2020.
Deliberations are underway in the wrongful death lawsuit brought by Nancy and Karim Iskander over the deaths of sons Mark, 11, and Jacob, 8, who were struck and killed while crossing a street in Westlake Village in September 2020
Convicted murderess Rebecca Grossman’s lawyer claimed on Thursday that she earns no money and works for charity for no pay
Scott Erikson’s attorney said that the World Series-winning pitcher’s ability to pay was limited to his current assets: $9,000 in his bank account, $242,000 in an investment account, $804,000 in a pro baseball retirement account – from which he receives $13,000 monthly – plus $100,000 equity in the Las Vegas condo where he lives
The jury of eight women and four men deliberated for two days before reaching their verdict awarding the compensatory damages to the dead boys’ parents and their third son Zachary, who was five when he narrowly escaped death or serious injury in the same crash.
The total $176 million figure comprises $14 million to the parents for the loss of Mark and Jacob’s ‘love and companionship’ since the fatal crash and $93 million for the loss of their boys’ love and companionship in the future.
Nancy Iskander was awarded $10 million for her ‘severe emotional distress’ since the accident and $25 million for her future emotional distress. The jury said brother Zachary should receive $6 million for past and $28 million for future serious emotional distress.
In response to the Iskanders’ original claim for a total of $439 million in compensatory damages, Grossman’s attorney said that her imprisoned client would be willing to pay ‘reasonable damages’ without specifying an amount. Erickson’s lawyer offered a payout of $10 million.
Jurors determined that Erickson was ‘negligent’ and that his negligence was a ’substantial factor’ in the deaths of the boys (Judge Huey Cotton, presiding in the case, already ruled in a directed verdict that Grossman was negligent).
The jury also decided that Grossman and Erickson ‘acted in concert’ leading up to the deadly crash.
On the eight-page, 24- question ‘special verdict form’ jurors had to ponder, they answered ‘yes’ to questions 17 and 18 which asked if Grossman acted ‘with malice or oppression’ and Erickson acted with fraud, as well as malice or oppression.
Both defendants now face paying separate punitive damages that are awarded as punishment for their ‘despicable’ behavior that led to the deaths of the two young boys.
Karim and Nancy Iskander are seeking a total of $439 million in compensatory damages for the loss of their boys
Grossman’s Mercedes is pictured after the smash. She kept on driving, despite the obvious damage caused to the car after she struck the boys
Grossman’s speeding white Mercedes SUV collided with both children, fatally injuring them, at a pedestrian crossing near LA on September 29 2020 after she and Erickson both drank margaritas at a local bar
Those exact punitive damages will be decided by the jury after panel members have heard evidence and testimony about the financial status of Grossman and Erickson.
Jurors also declared that the Westlake Village crosswalk where the accident happened ‘was not in a dangerous condition,’ rejecting Grossman’s contention that the Westlake Village crosswalk was partly to blame.
After Wednesday’s verdict, the Iskanders’ attorney told the Daily Mail, ‘We’re not done yet – there’s more work to be done.’
Grossman’s speeding white Mercedes SUV collided with both children, fatally injuring them, at a pedestrian crossing in Westlake Village, near LA, on September 29 2020, after she and Erickson both drank margaritas at a local bar.
The children were crossing the street with their family when the crash occurred, with attorneys for the boys’ parents saying the pair’s vehicles reached speeds of up to 80 mph.
Grossman is currently serving 15 years to life in prison after jurors at her February 2024 criminal trial convicted her of two counts each of second degree murder and vehicular manslaughter, plus one of hit-and-run.
Erickson confessed on the witness stand during the civil trial that he lied to police about how much alcohol he had to drink before the deadly crash and admitted that he was convicted of DUI in Nevada 12 years ago.
He also admitted that when police asked him to turn in the vehicle he was driving at the time of the crash, he produced the wrong car for inspection (at the time he owned two black Mercedes SUVs, illegally bearing the same license plate number).
Grossman is currently serving 15 years to life in prison after jurors at her February 2024 criminal trial convicted her of two counts each of second degree murder and vehicular manslaughter, plus one of hit-and-run
The children were crossing the street with their family when the crash occurred, with attorneys for the boys’ parents saying the pair’s vehicles reached speeds of up to 80 mph
Erickson claimed he was not racing Grossman, insisted that he was not under the influence of alcohol and disputed eyewitness accounts saying he was going 80-100 mph
But the 6ft 4in, World Series-winning pitcher denied any responsibility for the horrific pile-up.
He claimed he was not racing Grossman, insisted that he was not under the influence of alcohol and disputed eyewitness accounts saying he was going 80-100 mph just before the collision.
He testified that he saw the two boys at the crosswalk as he drove through without hitting them and he didn’t see their mother Nancy grab son Zachary, and leap for their lives to avoid being hit by his black Mercedes SUV as he sped through the intersection ahead of Grossman.
Grossman’s criminal case attorneys tried to blame the deadly crash on Erickson – who didn’t show up at his ex girlfriend’s six-week criminal trial.
But he was only charged with misdemeanor reckless driving and that was dismissed after he made a public service announcement on the importance of safe driving.
Despite the lack of criminal charges against Erickson, the Iskanders named him as a defendant in their civil action, saying he bore equal responsibility with Grossman for the fatal crash.
Grossman’s lawyers in the civil trial called the crash a ‘tragic, horrible accident,’ said she didn’t see the boys on the crosswalk, that ‘there were other factors involved’ – like poor signage and lighting at the intersection – and that she wasn’t ‘impaired’ with alcohol and drugs as the Iskanders claimed.
Erickson was having a love affair with Rebecca when she was separated from her plastic surgeon husband Dr Peter Grossman, who is also a defendant in the lawsuit as the owner of the Mercedes she was driving at the time of the crash.
