Convicted socialite Rebecca Grossman's demand for a venue change in a wrongful death suit trial filed against her has been denied.
The parents of two young boys killed when a drunk Grossman plowed into them are civilly suing Grossman and her former MLB star lover Scott Erickson for wrongful death. Grossman’s civil lawyers argued extensive negative publicity surrounding the accident and legal proceedings would bias local jurors, making a fair trial impossible.
Judge Huey Cotton acknowledged that Grossman has been portrayed unfavorably on social media and drew attention from the press, but he agreed with the Iskanders’ attorneys that the news coverage mostly reported the facts rather than expressing outrage.”
In another ruling, the judge rejected arguments by Grossman’s attorneys that the one previous deposition taken of the philanthropist’s husband, Dr. Peter Grossman, was enough.
He also paved the way for his daughter, Alexis Grossman, to be deposed. Alexis was 6 at the time of the crash, and attorneys claimed the deposition would further traumatize the young woman already suffering from PTSD.
The judge countered that Alexis, now 21, was able to testify on her mother’s behalf at the criminal trial, and she was one of the first people on the scene after the crash.
The judge ruled the disability does not disqualify her from appearing at the deposition. The judge also ruled husband Peter Grossman may have relevant information. Peter Grossman is a defendant in the suit on grounds he allegedly granted permissive use to his wife to drive the vehicle used in the accident.
Included in the deposition motion is a request by the Iskanders to question Peter Grossman, a renowned plastic surgeon, about the transferred title to the couple's sprawling hilltop mansion to a mystery trust and lawyer. It’s now on sale for $13.5 million, according to court documents.
Just after 7 pm, on a September evening, Jacob and Mark Iskander, their siblings, and their parents go for an evening stroll to a nearby lake. The 6-member family is crossing in a crosswalk at a three-way intersection when mother Nancy hears a speeding car barreling their way.
The mom says her husband and daughter were farther away from the street. She tries to signal to the two SUVs to slow down. She tries to pull the children back, only managing to grab 1 of them and dive out of the way. Jacob and Mark are hit. Mark Iskander dies at the scene. Jacob dies later at the hospital. According to police, Mark was thrown 254 feet.
Nancy Iskander tells police that two SUVs were "zig-zagging with each other as if they were playing or racing." She says the drivers didn’t stop at the intersection, not even when the 11-year-old was on the hood of the car. Deputies reportedly catch up with a white Mercedes with significant front-end damage a third of a mile from the scene.
Behind the wheel is Rebecca Grossman.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department says they believe that the vehicle was traveling over 80 miles an hour. Grossman’s breathalyzer test after the crash showed a blood-alcohol content of 0.076%, according to local news reports.
The legal limit in California is 0.08%. A blood sample taken three hours after the crash registered at the 0.08% mark.
Rebecca Grossman was charged and convicted of two felony counts each of second-degree murder and vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, and one felony count of hit-and-run driving resulting in death.
Grossman was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison.
Joining Nancy Grace today:
- Mark Klaas - Founder, Klaas Kids Foundation
- Kathleen Murphy - North Carolina, Family Attorney
- Dr. Angela Arnold - Atlanta Psychiatrist. Expert in the Treatment of Pregnant/Postpartum Women, Former Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Obstetrics and Gynecology: Emory University, Former Medical Director of The Psychiatric Ob-Gyn Clinic at Grady Memorial Hospital
- Sheryl McCollum - Forensic Expert & Cold Case Investigative Research Institute Founder, Former Director of MADD, Georgia
- Joseph Scott Morgan - Professor of Forensics: Jacksonville State University, Author of "Blood Beneath My Feet," and Host: "Body Bags with Joseph Scott Morgan;" X @JoScottForensic
- Ray Caputo - Lead News Anchor for Orlando's Morning News, 96.5 WDBO
TIPLINE: Mothers Against Drunk Driving 24-Hour Victim Help Line: 877.MADD.HELP or 1-877-623-3435
See omn
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, an evil millionaire socialite who
slaughters two little boys while racing her Mercedes in a
residential area after a boozy lunch, now makes an incredibly
entitled demand from behind bars. Good evening. I'm Nancy Grace.
(00:26):
This is Crime Stories. Thank you for being with us.
The socialite I'll never forget her name, Rebecca Grossman, who
is convicted of murdering two little boys two brothers with
her Mercedes while racing her Mercedes with her lover after
a drunken and booze soaked lunch, demands her civil trial
(00:48):
be moved because of quote sensationalized coverage of the crimes.
She insists she should not be tried in La County
after the parents of Jay eight and Mark eleven brothers
sued her for damages after the boys were run down
in Westlake Village there in La Now, according to court
(01:12):
documents we've obtained, she says, Grossman says, this court is
requested to issue in order changing the place of trial
because an impartial trial cannot be had in La County
and nearby vicinities. She's serving fifteen toly for two counts
of second degree murder and she is claiming other people
(01:34):
are biased. Okay, what do we know about the case.
There's so many questions. Let's start it off.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Listen.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Just after seven pm on a September evening, Jacob and
Mark Iskander, their siblings and parents, go for an evening
stroll to a nearby lake. The boys enjoy ruller bleeding
and skateboarding. The six member family is heading home, crossing
in a crosswalk at a three way intersection when mother
Nancy heard a speeding car barreling their way. Says her
husband and daughter were further away from the street. She
(02:03):
tries to signal to the two SUVs heading their way
to slow down. She tried to pull the children back,
only managing to grab one of them, a five year old,
and dive out of the way. Jacob and Mark, who
were farther out in the crosswalk, are hit. Mark Isknder
dies at the scene. Jacob dies later at the hospital.
According to police, Mark was thrown two hundred and fifty
four feet.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
Two one hundred and fifty four feet. Can you imagine
that coming up on the scene and seeing a little helmet,
a child's scooter and crime same tape with me an
all star panel to break it down and put it
back together again. First of all, founder of Class Kids Foundation,
(02:45):
Mark Class. You can find him at Classkids dot org.
And that's with a K. Kathleen Murphy, North Carolina trial lawyer.
You can find her at Ncdomestic Law dot com. Renowned
psychiatrist joining US of Atlanta, doctor Angela Arnold at Angela
Arnold MD dot com. Founder director of the Cold Case
(03:07):
Research Institute, Former president of Mad Georgia Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
Cheryl McCullum, Professor Forensics, Jacksonville State University, author of Blood
Beneath My Feet on Amazon, and star of a new
series on the True Crime Network, Poisonous Liaisons. Joseph Scott Morgan.
(03:29):
But first to the lead news anchor W Dbo Ray Caputo,
Ray Caputo, two brothers dead and one fell swoop, one
just nine years old, the other just eleven. What happened?
Speaker 4 (03:46):
Well, Nancy, this was a really hot day that happened
at a Westlake village, California. It's about an hour west
LA depending on the traffic, and it so hot day
and the family goes out. Jacobs and eight eleven there
with their mom and their dad and two other siblings
and they're simply crossing the street there.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
Okay, hold on, just let me understand something. It's okay.
They're with their whole family. It's not like the children
we're in the middle of the road riding their scooters.
They're in a crosswalk with their family. Correct.
Speaker 4 (04:19):
Yes, a little march crosswalk.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
You know. I'm I wanna understand where this is Mark Class,
founder of Class Kids Foundation. Where is Westlake Village? Where
is that in California?
Speaker 5 (04:31):
Well, it's several hundred miles from where I am, but
I've been through West Lake and it's a suburb of
Los Angeles.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
You know, when you say a suburb of LA. Having
lived out in LA during Dancing with the Stars, that
could mean anything. I mean, it could be a beach area,
it could be a rural area, it could be farming
land because California is so diverse. But a good hour
outside of LA in my mind, and it means suburbs
(05:02):
people that will drive an hour to get to work
in LA through that god awful traffic. So we're talking
about a suburb of LA which is full of beautiful
country called Westlake Village. We're talking about Mark and Jacob
and they're nine and eleven years old, and they're with
their entire family, including mommy and daddy. So back to
(05:25):
UI computer, I think I heard you say they were
in a crosswalk. Correct, Yeah, it was a crosswalk.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
Now, this is a suburb, so it wasn't a heavily
congested area. And when you think of love downtown Los Angeles,
it's kind a concrete jungle. It wasn't like this. There
wasn't a lot of hells though, and it was residential,
and they weren't across. What they're doing what a lot
of families do on a Tuesday night when it's hot
out and you want to get a little extra suns,
you know.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
I take Lucy and John David, we get the dog
fat Boy, and we walk all the time, practically every day,
rain or shine, And it's usually about that time when
they're done with school and I'm through with work and
everything is calming down from all the craziness during the day,
(06:14):
and I'm just imagining this family. You know, Ray Cooputo,
you said the whole family was there. How many of
them were there?
Speaker 4 (06:21):
Well, there was at least two siblings that one of
them was in a s So there was the mom
and a dad, and you can imagine that that you
the child and the streamer is getting the most attention.
They're getting pushed around. But you know, everybody was there.
Mom and dad were with the kids in and there
was just there. They got six of them, including the.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Boys, the whole family together. You know, when I go
with the whole family together somewhere, I feel more safe
because we're all there together. I've got the children with me,
my husband's there. Were all focused on keeping the twins
safe at all times. Take a listen to Chris Holmstrom
(07:00):
at KCl nine. It was just before dark.
Speaker 6 (07:04):
A family of six was walking across this crosswalk when
tragedy struck. Captain Salvador Vissera with the La County Sheriff's
Department describes what happened next.
Speaker 7 (07:12):
The family were in a marked cross crosswalk, clearly marked.
As she realized there were two cars speeding her way,
she was able to reach out and grab one of
her children off of a razor scooter, pulled the child
back with the stroller, with another child a stroller as
the car entered the intersection and hit the other two boys.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
There's six people, including two adults and a stroller. How
could you not see that. It wasn't even dark yet.
To Ray Capudo, did the two boys nine and eleven
die right there on the scene where they raced to
the hospital. What happened?
Speaker 5 (07:55):
Oh, it's just terrible, Nancy.
Speaker 4 (07:56):
Well, one of the boys died at the seat. He
was carried on the the car for but one hundred feet,
and then the car stopped and the little boy flew
off and then he was he was ran over the
other child.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
Okay, wait wait, wait, wait, wait wait wait, wait, slow down,
what did you just say.
Speaker 4 (08:14):
Unfortunately, the woman hit the little little boy and carried
him one hundred feet and then she flew off the
car and she ran him over.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Wait right wait, right there, So it's not dark yet.
They're in a crosswalk. There are six people, including two
adults and a stroller. That accounts for three people, so
there were three others. That is a group. How can
(08:45):
you miss a group of people? Just let's just pretend
that the driver come over a hill and hit them,
which I don't believe is the case because under the
rules of the road, just like where you put a
double line, you're not supposed to cross on a double
line or pass anybody. You wouldn't put a crosswalk right
(09:07):
there as coming up over hill because it's too dangerous.
So as if you couldn't see them a mile away.
We learn from witnesses that one of these two little
boys was carried on the hood of the car for
one hundred feet. Crime stories with Nancy Grace spoiled brat
(09:39):
socialite Rebecca Grossman issuing demands from behind bars that her
civil trial be moved. In a further attempt at sympathy,
her lawyers claim her family got death threats. Okay, the
last I looked, they were still alive, and well, she's
the problem, not her family. They also shared polling results
(10:03):
claiming forty four percent of La County residents recognize her
name and seventeen percent pulled in Chulane County next door.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
Knew who she is.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
Okay, well, you'd have to be living under a rock
in a cave on the other side of the world
with ear muff song not to know who Rebecca Grossman is.
That does not mean they cannot be impartial. I mean,
for Pete's saint, look at Shan Combs's trial, who didn't
know who did he is? Yet they freed him on
three of the five counts good luck with that, Grossman.
(10:36):
What more do we know about the case? I want
to go back to you, Wrek Copudo. This was in
a crosswalk, and they have engineers looking at where a
crosswalk should be, where there should be a double line,
where you should put a red light or a stop
sign or a flashing yellow light for reasons, because at
fence with a topography, I just don't believe that a
(11:00):
crosswalk was You mentioned hills. That's where I'm getting this
from you, Raki Pudo. I just don't believe a crosswalk
was right at the top of the hill.
Speaker 4 (11:09):
Well there was a cross walks. YouMagine a team and
there's a road that's coming down.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
All hilly road coming down.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
And then there's a crosswalk. So my assumption is is
that you know that that might have played into it.
It says that she was on this road, and I
believe that she may have taken a turn where there
was a stop sign and just ripping through it because
she was going really fast. And I've seen this on
a map. But I can understand how someone who is
intoxicated just out of their mind not paying attention to
the room.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
If you're coming down a road like you're saying there's
a hill coming down. You can see down. It's not
as if she was coming up a hill and then
suddenly you're in a crosswalk and there are people in
the middle of it. Cheryl McCollum, you're the former president
of Mothers Against Driving Georgia.
Speaker 8 (11:56):
Help me out here, Nancy.
Speaker 9 (11:57):
There was so many things this woman did wrong before
that accident.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
I'm just talking right now about the crosswalk. Crosswalks are
there in that spot for a reason, so you can see.
Speaker 9 (12:10):
It, correct, but not somebody that's drunk. It could very
well be she was fiddling with the radio. It could
be that she was going through her purse.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
Okay, speaking of that, take a listen to anchor Suzanne
Marquez with Tina Pattel CBS LA. We have more breaking news.
Speaker 6 (12:30):
A driver has been arrested after a crash last night
in Westlake Village that killed two children. CBS two is
Tina Patel is live with the latest on this investigation.
It's heartbreaking developments this morning, Tina.
Speaker 10 (12:43):
It really is. One boy died here at the scene.
The other one was taken to the hospital, and we
just learned that he also passed away. Now the Sheriff's
department is not releasing the ages of those boys, are
saying whether they are related. But you can see the
news of the tragic death has hit this community. Many
are coming now to leave flowers.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
Oh yeah, they weren't releasing a lot of information, and
now we know why. Take a listen to Mary Beth
McDade KTLA five.
Speaker 11 (13:11):
Grossman, who's married to a prominent plastic surgeon Peter Grossman,
reportedly hit one boy who rolled up.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
Onto her hood.
Speaker 11 (13:18):
She reportedly slammed on her brigs so he'd roll off,
and then she ran him over. Deputies reportedly caught up
with Grossman about a quarter mile away in her white Mercedes,
which had front end damage, and arrested her.
Speaker 7 (13:29):
Rebecca Grossman was arrested for a vihictim. She's being charged
to two counts of vehicular mass slaughterer and was arrested
for duy.
Speaker 11 (13:35):
The Scanders are well known in their Westlake village and church.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
Communities, so Rebecca Grossman was driving that white Mercedes married
to a prominent plastic surgeon, Peter Grossman. Now Cheryl McCollum,
former director of Mad m ADD Mothers Against Dunk Driving Georgia,
(14:00):
did you hear that that reportedly hit one boy and
he flew up onto her hood. She kept going about
one hundred feet and slammed on brakes so the boy
would roll off, then ran over him and did not stop.
She kept going. Did you get that in the news
report from KTLA five.
Speaker 9 (14:22):
Think about that, Nancy.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
The cops stit and find her for a quarter of
a mile.
Speaker 9 (14:27):
But Nancy, think about the fact that she's already hurt
him severely by running over him and killing his brother.
She made the choice of getting that child off the
hood of her car and ran over him in order
to flee and get away. She made the conscious choice
(14:48):
to do more damage to that baby than to stop
and render age.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
Joining me right now, I want to go straight out
to doctor Angela Arnold, psychiatrist at Angela Arnold MD dot com.
What in the world would make you keep going after
you hit a child. It reminds me of a case
I covered on Court TV a while back, and the
(15:14):
defendant's name was Chante Mallard. She hit a man in
a street, then with him on the hood. Stuck on
the hood, she drives all the way to her home,
pulls her car into the garage closes the garage and
leaves him on the windshield to die. He could have
(15:36):
been saved in the time. She sat in there, going wow,
Am I going to get in trouble for this? She
left the guy impaled on the hood while he died.
Here you've got this woman, according to eyewitnesses, carried the
little boy on the hood of the car one hundred feet,
slammed on brakes, the boy fell off, then she ran
(15:58):
over him.
Speaker 12 (16:00):
It's such a horrific act, Nancy, that most of us
cannot understand. But to me, it speaks to something deeper
that is wrong with this woman.
Speaker 9 (16:12):
On top of her.
Speaker 8 (16:15):
Alcohol addiction apparently.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
Well, let's talk about that for a moment. I want
to find out from you, Raycomputerowdbo why alcohol is being
thrown around. How come we don't think she was just
let's just say, street racing or joy riding or in
a hurry. How did alcohol get into the mix?
Speaker 5 (16:35):
Well, that's what the deputy said.
Speaker 4 (16:37):
What they found her about a mile down the road. Answer,
this is a scary car. We see this a lot
with people who have money. They know what happens when
things go sideways is if you hit somebody and you're drinking,
the best thing to do is to get the heck
away from the scene, apparently and not be seen until
you're sober up. This woman's car breaks down a mile away,
(16:58):
and that's when she's busted. If she would have got
a way, I would almost guarantee that they remounting a
defense of I wasn't drinking now. Also, you mentioned street racing.
She was apparently street racing too. She was traveling at
a high rate of speed, and she was drinking. I mean,
what a host of factors. And you wonder why something
went wrong.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Here, we'll tell you how. I learned that dui. Driving
under the influence of alcohol or drugs was part of this.
Because she is renowned, prominent member of the community, husband
is a high profile plastic surgeon. She was arrested on
suspicion of manslaughter and dui after smashing her speaking Mercedes
(17:40):
into brothers Mark and Jacob eleven and nine Westlake Village.
She only stopped a mile and a half away when
her engine cut out. Cheryl McCollum, former director of Mad
Mothers Against Drunk Driving Georgia, she didn't pull over and
call police. She was only stopped because of car trouble.
Speaker 9 (18:01):
She did nothing to help this family. She did nothing
to help the two little boys. She did nothing to
render aid help it anyway. She didn't even go to
a pay pone and call now one one anonymously to
get help.
Speaker 12 (18:16):
There.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
You know, Cheryl, suffering the sudden and criminal death of
somebody you love sticks with you forever, as you all know,
having dealt with so many crime victims. But this mother
and father were right there. One son died on the scene,
(18:39):
Cheryl and the car.
Speaker 9 (18:40):
Kept going what that must be like to them? I mean,
Huggies to race BMX and I can play right now
in my head the worst rent he ever had. And
he was fine. But as a mother, you just, you know,
play it over and over and over what they must
be living with watching their two children move down, one
(19:05):
killed at the scene, one you have hoped for for
a moment, and then that snatched from you too because
this woman decides she wants to drink in street race.
You're not from a seventeen year old kid that makes
a stupid decision.
Speaker 1 (19:21):
Believe it or not.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
Wealthy socialite Rebecca Grossman accused suspect number one in mowing
down two little boys out walking with their family gets
the courtroom victory. But what happened when the boys lost
their lives? According to police, this woman, Rebecca Grossman, prominent
(19:46):
in her community and wealthy, not only mowed the two
little boys down in front of mom and dad, but
kept going.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
She was charged with suspicion of voluntary manslaughter and DUI.
I want you to take a listen to our cut
number twelve. Now you may recognize some of these voices.
This is a montage of all the coverage about how
fantastic this woman and her husband were.
Speaker 13 (20:18):
So many of us at ABC News know about the
work that the Grossman burn Foundation has done to provide
so much care, new life for women, children, people around
the United States and the world in need of that
urgent medical care.
Speaker 14 (20:33):
I just wanted to take a moment of your time
this evening to say a few words about the Grossman
burn Foundation. This extraordinary organization is making a huge difference
around the world.
Speaker 13 (20:43):
Another miracle at the gross Burn Center here at Southern California, Astoria.
Speaker 5 (20:47):
The Grossman Burne Foundation has launched a campaign to stop
the violence carried out against women around the world.
Speaker 6 (20:53):
A local oscar winning special effects artists has become a
hero to a woman on the other side of the globe,
a woman who's face was destroyed by her own husband.
Speaker 15 (21:02):
Rebecca Grossman of the Grossman Burne Foundation found out about
Eustonce Rebecca takes the prosthetics, travels to Indonesia and delivers
them to Houston's in person. It's a day eustonce never
thought would come. Finally she gets the first sign of
hope that she'll feel complete again.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
You're hearing so much about the Burne Foundation. Remember, this
woman's husband is a prominent plastic surgeon, so they're well
known and wealthy in that community. I know that the husband,
who is, as I said, a wealthy and prominent plastic surgeon,
(21:38):
had been working with the burn Foundation. But what about
the wife, Rebecca Grossman, and what about that particular day
that these two little boys were mowed down? Take a
listen to Tina Patel CBS LA.
Speaker 16 (22:00):
Investigators arrested a fifty seven year old driver and charged
her with parhicular manslaughter. A white Mercedes with front end
damage was towed away about a half mile from the
crash scene, but investigators would not confirm whether the drivers
stop voluntarily or whether this was a hidden run people
who live nearby. I hope this crash will be a
wake up call for drivers to slow down and for
the city to do more to protect pedestrians.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
You know, I want to go to you, Mark Class,
founder of Class Kids Foundation to protect children. Have you
ever seen cases where the public doesn't get all the
details for a lot of the facts surrounding the case
are kept under the rug. For instance, what is this
woman's blood alcohol? They're not even saying that. They'll confirm
(22:44):
it was a hit and run. She was arrested about
a mile away. Yes, it was a hit and run.
I don't need a crime scene reconstruction is to tell
me that, Mark Class.
Speaker 5 (22:56):
Now she the nonprofit world is full of hit Chris.
It's full of wealthy people who sit on boards of
nonprofit organizations for no other reason than they can talk
about themselves at cocktail parties and give each other awards
for the great work that they do. And I think
Cheryl can attest to that she knows the nonprofit world
(23:17):
as well. And I think that's exactly what we have here. Now.
They can talk about how wonderful missus Grossman is and
all of the great things she's done, but She's also
the woman who plowed down two little boys, bumped one
of them off of the hood of her car, and
then ran over him again so that she could escape responsibility.
(23:40):
This is a woman with no conscience. This is a
woman with no morals. This is a woman who most
certainly does not belong behind the driver's seat of a car.
Speaker 1 (23:50):
Cheryl McCollum, I know that she's charged with suspicion dui.
Now you know the case will be ruined if they
did not do an appropriate blood alcohol content test on her,
a blow test, and that is the end of a
dui case. If you let her off the hook from
that blow test at the scene, you can't prove a trial.
(24:15):
She was GUI, so they have her charge with suspicion dui.
Why would they have charged her with that, Cheryl, There.
Speaker 8 (24:24):
Must be some evidence.
Speaker 9 (24:25):
Either they could smell alcohol in her breath, there was
evidence in the car of a bottle or something like that.
But Nancy, the other thing they're missing. They don't have
the traditional things you would have with an accident like this.
They're not going to have kid mark.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
She didn't stop good point, good point.
Speaker 9 (24:42):
So there's so many things they can't get her accurate speed.
They may not have an accurate via fie. They may
not have it.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
We do know this though, Cheryl. Now this is good
news for the prosecution if they take the case all
the way, if they don't get over pressed with money
and prominence. Just Scott Morgan, the professor forensics Jacks will
sit university and death investigator. The cops have broken down
and told us that this socialite, Rebecca Grossman, did test
(25:15):
over the legal limit.
Speaker 14 (25:17):
Explain, Yeah, the legal limit, dependent upon where you are,
is generally going to be in a range of about
point zero one point five that region right there, and
it's going to go to significant impairment and that is
your motor function. How can you make judgments? But this
(25:39):
is one of the problems going back to what Max
said just a second ago with her. You know, this
woman has a history of driving while intoxicated. This is
my question. If she is addicted to alcohol, her tolerance
level is going to be much higher. So there are
(26:00):
people that have a dependency upon alcohol that can still
function be up.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
You know.
Speaker 14 (26:06):
Whereas you or I might have a drink couple of
glasses of wine or something and we're out like a baby,
this woman might could go through two or three bottles
of wine, so be upright and functioning. Uh so's it's
kind of a hit or miss. They need to have
done this early on.
Speaker 1 (26:22):
And look at the front end of her Mercedes. You
can see it at climeboline dot com.
Speaker 14 (26:29):
Yeah. Yeah, if I could address another car, Yeah, if
I could address that. This is a full size Mercedes Sedan, Nancy.
And you know, Mercedes, one thing they're known for. It's
not just a luxury car. They're known as being a
safe car, well built. And Nancy, it looks like she
ran into a damn telephone pole. It's a center mass strike.
(26:49):
And just so people at home will understand, if you
imagine that great big Mercedes symbol that sits right in
the center of the grill, that's gone, and not only that,
the hood itself is crushed in. This gives us an
indication that when she struck these two little boys, as
you mentioned just a second ago, in front of their parents.
(27:10):
Mind you, she was traveling at such a high rate that,
at least because I don't have all the data from
the scene, it gives the appearance that she hit a
fixed object, Nancy, not some non anchored person like these
two children. She hit something at such a high rate
of speed it literally collapsed the front of that car.
(27:33):
I don't see how the airbags kept from deploying. And
if you look at that image real quick, she did
try to flee. The only reason she didn't get away.
If you take a real close look at that image
on crime on Line, you'll see that there are fluids
that have poured out of the bottom of this thing,
so it disabled the vehicle. My guess is, as Ray
(27:53):
had alluded to earlier, is that if she could have
put as much distance between her and that event, that
that homicide, then you would have had time for the
blood alcohol to metabolize in her system. She would have gone.
And this has happened numbers of times with high profile
(28:14):
people over the years. If you don't have that science
to back it up, if you don't know what the
BA is at that moment in time, you've lost it.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
Foreverything crime stories with Nancy Grace in the last days,
millionaire social like Rebecca Grossman making demands from behind bars.
Does it never end with this woman? What happened that
(28:43):
day when two little brothers were run down dead by her,
and then she lied about it? Six family members were
crossing the three way intersection in a marked cross walk
on the road. The parents heard the speeding Mercedes. They
(29:03):
could hear it speeding and hearing the car, they reached
out to grab their children. They grabbed Zachary and Violet.
Mark and Jacob were too far away. They heard the
speeding car. Cheryl, now you understand the legal implications of this.
(29:25):
They could hear it at a distance speeding. There were
no skid marks. The parents grabbed the children they can reach.
The ones they couldn't reach were mowed down. Analyze it,
Cheryl McCollum.
Speaker 9 (29:40):
Nancy, what you're going to have is you're going to
have the police go They've got to go back. They've
got to get video from every ring camera. If they
have the flock system, they've got to get that video.
They've got to trace her actions backwards. Where did she drink,
how much did she drink? Where did you get it
from that she paid for it? Was it already at home?
(30:02):
Was she had a bar when?
Speaker 1 (30:04):
Yeah, they're going to retrace all of their her steps.
At least I.
Speaker 9 (30:08):
Hope they are. That. They've got to Nancy, because they
don't have anything else, because again they know the blood
alcohol is going to be contested. They know that they're
going to have a fight on their hands. So they've
got to go back and show, just like you used
to do that, this crime didn't occur at nine forty
seven PM or six forty five. This crime occurred at
(30:29):
two o'clock when she took her first drink. It occurred
at three fifteen when she took the next one. It
occurred at five sixty when she had her third one,
and then she chose to get in the car after
five or six or a bottle. And that's what they've
got to show the importance of that. They've got to
go back and show every speeding ticket. They've got to
(30:51):
show every failure to maintain lane. They've got to show
every DUI she's ever had, even if they reduced it
to you know, whatever, they might have reduced it to
reckless driving or such. You know, we all know reckless
driving usually the DUI that's been reduced. They got to
look at every single one, every single time her prominent
(31:11):
husband has saved her. They've got to go talk to
friends and said, hey, how many contail parties does she throw?
How often do y'all know her.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
To you know, it's going to be critical that they
trace her steps that day. Amen, Because Mark Class, I mean,
have you ever heard accident used in DUIs? It's no accident,
Mark Class, Because, as Cheryl McCollum was saying, you start
in the day drinking, you decide to get your car keys,
(31:41):
You decide to walk out to your car after you've
been drinking. You decide to insert the key in the
ignition and start the car, put it reverse and then
drive there you go. All those were conscious decisions, Mark Class.
Speaker 5 (31:56):
There were conscious decisions. Why a woman who's probably done
that hundreds of times and doesn't really seem to care
about the safety of anybody else, feels that she's privileged
enough that she can do what she wants when she
wants and have some kind of a sterling reputation and
a lot of money to fall back on.
Speaker 1 (32:13):
Straight out to Kathleen Murphy, North Carolina, try a lawyer
at the scene. We've seen so many celebrity walk a
straight line tests, touch your nose tests or the ABC's test.
What other tests are performed at the same are supposed
to be performed when cops suspect do UI.
Speaker 8 (32:32):
Well, obviously the markers are a breathalyzer, she could refuse
the breathalyzer. She refuses the breathalyzers, they'll take blood work
at the hospital or wherever she can carcerat as I
would suppose. They can do the field sobriety tests such
as heel toe.
Speaker 9 (32:48):
They also can.
Speaker 8 (32:52):
Take other steps to determine whether or not they're drinking,
such as alcohol bottles in the car, the smell of
alcohol on that lady's breath.
Speaker 1 (33:00):
We do know that this prominent socialite, Rebecca Grossman, was
involved in an accident twenty twelve where the other driver
claims she ran a red light, driving over sixty five
in a forty mph zone and plowed into the back
of his car. The driver passed away later from ill health,
(33:22):
but the insurance report includes his detailed description of the crash. Now,
in that case, we know that insurance paid out one
hundred thousand dollars in a settlement with Grossman. She was
injured in that too, So what if anything, do we
(33:42):
know about her history, Raykipudo.
Speaker 4 (33:44):
Well, Dancy, she's not a good driver, that's for sure.
I mean, you can only speculate that that's connected to this.
I don't know for shirt one. It seems to be
that the writing was on the wall for miss Grossman,
and she had plenty of opportunity to fix some of
the issues that she had her life, but you know,
she didn't.
Speaker 8 (34:02):
And here we are.
Speaker 4 (34:03):
This tragedy was avoidable. There was something that shouldn't have happened,
and now this family is going to be living with
us for the rest of her horizon. This Glosman's life
is done too. Pretty much, her reputation is gone.
Speaker 1 (34:15):
I'm really more worried about the two dead boys than
anybody's reputation, Doctor Angela Arnold. What about the people surrounding her?
I mean, according to a Daily Mail report, quote she's
a reckless driver. The socialite charge with killing two young
boys in Dui hit and run previously totaled another driver's
car after quote speeding through a red light, and then
(34:39):
she sued him even though she ran into the back.
Speaker 2 (34:43):
Of his car.
Speaker 12 (34:44):
You know, Nancy, I don't believe that they should be
calling her a socialite. I think that they should be
calling her a sociopath. That is what this woman is
at the core of who she is. She is a sociopath.
Why we have to be describing this woman who has
hit and killed two children and has absolutely no remorse.
(35:08):
Instead of a social socialite, we should be calling her
a sociopath today because she's wondering.
Speaker 1 (35:14):
I mean, Cheryl McCollum, director of Mad Georgia mother's against
junk driving. Everybody around her, I mean, are they enabling
her drinking and driving way in nanty.
Speaker 9 (35:29):
I think the most important thing is forget everybody around her.
Speaker 4 (35:32):
This is solely on her.
Speaker 9 (35:34):
She did this, This is nothing new behavior. She chose
to drink, she chose to drive, She chose to try
to cover it up. She chose to try to hide
her face. Now she had chosen not to reach out
to the family and apologize. She has chosen to do
all of these things that show exactly who she is.
(35:56):
And I think that last statement was pen on accurate.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
She is a social path demands from behind bars, A
wealthy socialite who runs down two little brothers embracing her
mercedes after a boozy lunch, makes new demands from behind bars.
What's next? Two boys are dead and you're whining.
Speaker 17 (36:18):
The venn I Superior Court judge denied Grossman's bid to
move the trial. Grossman's civil attorneys argued extensive negative publicity
surrounding the accident and legal proceedings would inevitably buy us
local jurors against her, making a fair trial impossible. In
La County, Judge Huey Cotton acknowledged that Grossman had been
(36:40):
portrayed unfavorably on social media and drew attention from the press,
but he agreed with the Iskandors attorneys that the news
coverage mostly reported the facts rather than expressing outrage. Grossman's
team argued a venues such as Sulaire County in central
California would provide a jury pool less prejudiced against their client,
(37:00):
but the judge did not agree, saying the Los Angeles
Superior Court handles high profile cases on a regular basis
and expressed confidence that the court and attorneys on both
sides will be able to ferret out prejudice in the
jury pool and seat an impartial jury. That left one
important question remaining. Will the Iskander attorneys be allowed to
(37:21):
depose Grossman's husband a second time and her daughter Alexis
for the first time? And that answer is yes. A
judge ruled that Grossman Burne Foundation co founder Rebecca Grossman
cannot prevent attorneys from deposing her husband a second time
and her daughter in a civil suit filed by the
Iskander family. That trial is set to begin in February.
(37:44):
After Grossman was granted a request for a new date,
it was scheduled to start January. Fifth Judge Huey Pacotton
rejected arguments by Grossman's attorneys that the one previous deposition
taken of the philanthropist's husband, doctor Peter gross by the
plaintiff's attorneys, was enough, adding that deposing daughter Alexis Grossman,
(38:06):
sixteen at the time of the crash would further traumatize
the young woman already suffering from PTSD. The judge countered
that Alexis, now twenty one, was able to testify on
her mother's behalf at the criminal trial, and she was
one of the first people on the scene after the crash.
The judge ruled the disability does not disqualify her from
(38:27):
appearing at deposition. The judge also ruled husband Peter Grossman
may have relevant information. Peter Grossman is a defendant in
the suit on grounds he allegedly granted permissive use to
his wife to drive the vehicle use in the accident
included in the deposition motion is a request by the
iskanders to question the renowned plastic surgeon about the transferred
(38:49):
title to the couple's sprawling, twelve bathroom, thirteen thousand square
foot hilltop mansion to a mystery trust and lawyer. It's
now on sale for thirteen monero point five million, according
to court documents, with convicted child killer Rebecca Grossman now
being accused of fraudulently hiding assets ahead of the wrongful
death trial. They say Peter Grossman has first hand knowledge
(39:13):
of Rebecca's finances. The iskandor's attorney says the giant property
is an asset subject to collection against Rebecca Grossman.
Speaker 1 (39:23):
As always, our prayers with the victim's family at this
hour and we wait as justice and false good Night friend,
Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, an evil millionaire socialite who
slaughters two little boys while racing her Mercedes in a
residential area after a boozy lunch, now makes an incredibly
entitled demand from behind bars. Good evening. I'm Nancy Grace.
(00:26):
This is Crime Stories. Thank you for being with us.
The socialite I'll never forget her name, Rebecca Grossman, who
is convicted of murdering two little boys two brothers with
her Mercedes while racing her Mercedes with her lover after
a drunken and booze soaked lunch, demands her civil trial
(00:48):
be moved because of quote sensationalized coverage of the crimes.
She insists she should not be tried in La County
after the parents of Jay eight and Mark eleven brothers
sued her for damages after the boys were run down
in Westlake Village there in La Now, according to court
(01:12):
documents we've obtained, she says, Grossman says, this court is
requested to issue in order changing the place of trial
because an impartial trial cannot be had in La County
and nearby vicinities. She's serving fifteen toly for two counts
of second degree murder and she is claiming other people
(01:34):
are biased. Okay, what do we know about the case.
There's so many questions. Let's start it off.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Listen.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Just after seven pm on a September evening, Jacob and
Mark Iskander, their siblings and parents, go for an evening
stroll to a nearby lake. The boys enjoy ruller bleeding
and skateboarding. The six member family is heading home, crossing
in a crosswalk at a three way intersection when mother
Nancy heard a speeding car barreling their way. Says her
husband and daughter were further away from the street. She
(02:03):
tries to signal to the two SUVs heading their way
to slow down. She tried to pull the children back,
only managing to grab one of them, a five year old,
and dive out of the way. Jacob and Mark, who
were farther out in the crosswalk, are hit. Mark Isknder
dies at the scene. Jacob dies later at the hospital.
According to police, Mark was thrown two hundred and fifty
four feet.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
Two one hundred and fifty four feet. Can you imagine
that coming up on the scene and seeing a little helmet,
a child's scooter and crime same tape with me an
all star panel to break it down and put it
back together again. First of all, founder of Class Kids Foundation,
(02:45):
Mark Class. You can find him at Classkids dot org.
And that's with a K. Kathleen Murphy, North Carolina trial lawyer.
You can find her at Ncdomestic Law dot com. Renowned
psychiatrist joining US of Atlanta, doctor Angela Arnold at Angela
Arnold MD dot com. Founder director of the Cold Case
(03:07):
Research Institute, Former president of Mad Georgia Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
Cheryl McCullum, Professor Forensics, Jacksonville State University, author of Blood
Beneath My Feet on Amazon, and star of a new
series on the True Crime Network, Poisonous Liaisons. Joseph Scott Morgan.
(03:29):
But first to the lead news anchor W Dbo Ray Caputo,
Ray Caputo, two brothers dead and one fell swoop, one
just nine years old, the other just eleven. What happened?
Speaker 4 (03:46):
Well, Nancy, this was a really hot day that happened
at a Westlake village, California. It's about an hour west
LA depending on the traffic, and it so hot day
and the family goes out. Jacobs and eight eleven there
with their mom and their dad and two other siblings
and they're simply crossing the street there.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
Okay, hold on, just let me understand something. It's okay.
They're with their whole family. It's not like the children
we're in the middle of the road riding their scooters.
They're in a crosswalk with their family. Correct.
Speaker 4 (04:19):
Yes, a little march crosswalk.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
You know. I'm I wanna understand where this is Mark Class,
founder of Class Kids Foundation. Where is Westlake Village? Where
is that in California?
Speaker 5 (04:31):
Well, it's several hundred miles from where I am, but
I've been through West Lake and it's a suburb of
Los Angeles.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
You know, when you say a suburb of LA. Having
lived out in LA during Dancing with the Stars, that
could mean anything. I mean, it could be a beach area,
it could be a rural area, it could be farming
land because California is so diverse. But a good hour
outside of LA in my mind, and it means suburbs
(05:02):
people that will drive an hour to get to work
in LA through that god awful traffic. So we're talking
about a suburb of LA which is full of beautiful
country called Westlake Village. We're talking about Mark and Jacob
and they're nine and eleven years old, and they're with
their entire family, including mommy and daddy. So back to
(05:25):
UI computer, I think I heard you say they were
in a crosswalk. Correct, Yeah, it was a crosswalk.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
Now, this is a suburb, so it wasn't a heavily
congested area. And when you think of love downtown Los Angeles,
it's kind a concrete jungle. It wasn't like this. There
wasn't a lot of hells though, and it was residential,
and they weren't across. What they're doing what a lot
of families do on a Tuesday night when it's hot
out and you want to get a little extra suns,
you know.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
I take Lucy and John David, we get the dog
fat Boy, and we walk all the time, practically every day,
rain or shine, And it's usually about that time when
they're done with school and I'm through with work and
everything is calming down from all the craziness during the day,
(06:14):
and I'm just imagining this family. You know, Ray Cooputo,
you said the whole family was there. How many of
them were there?
Speaker 4 (06:21):
Well, there was at least two siblings that one of
them was in a s So there was the mom
and a dad, and you can imagine that that you
the child and the streamer is getting the most attention.
They're getting pushed around. But you know, everybody was there.
Mom and dad were with the kids in and there
was just there. They got six of them, including the.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Boys, the whole family together. You know, when I go
with the whole family together somewhere, I feel more safe
because we're all there together. I've got the children with me,
my husband's there. Were all focused on keeping the twins
safe at all times. Take a listen to Chris Holmstrom
(07:00):
at KCl nine. It was just before dark.
Speaker 6 (07:04):
A family of six was walking across this crosswalk when
tragedy struck. Captain Salvador Vissera with the La County Sheriff's
Department describes what happened next.
Speaker 7 (07:12):
The family were in a marked cross crosswalk, clearly marked.
As she realized there were two cars speeding her way,
she was able to reach out and grab one of
her children off of a razor scooter, pulled the child
back with the stroller, with another child a stroller as
the car entered the intersection and hit the other two boys.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
There's six people, including two adults and a stroller. How
could you not see that. It wasn't even dark yet.
To Ray Capudo, did the two boys nine and eleven
die right there on the scene where they raced to
the hospital. What happened?
Speaker 5 (07:55):
Oh, it's just terrible, Nancy.
Speaker 4 (07:56):
Well, one of the boys died at the seat. He
was carried on the the car for but one hundred feet,
and then the car stopped and the little boy flew
off and then he was he was ran over the
other child.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
Okay, wait wait, wait, wait, wait wait wait, wait, slow down,
what did you just say.
Speaker 4 (08:14):
Unfortunately, the woman hit the little little boy and carried
him one hundred feet and then she flew off the
car and she ran him over.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Wait right wait, right there, So it's not dark yet.
They're in a crosswalk. There are six people, including two
adults and a stroller. That accounts for three people, so
there were three others. That is a group. How can
(08:45):
you miss a group of people? Just let's just pretend
that the driver come over a hill and hit them,
which I don't believe is the case because under the
rules of the road, just like where you put a
double line, you're not supposed to cross on a double
line or pass anybody. You wouldn't put a crosswalk right
(09:07):
there as coming up over hill because it's too dangerous.
So as if you couldn't see them a mile away.
We learn from witnesses that one of these two little
boys was carried on the hood of the car for
one hundred feet. Crime stories with Nancy Grace spoiled brat
(09:39):
socialite Rebecca Grossman issuing demands from behind bars that her
civil trial be moved. In a further attempt at sympathy,
her lawyers claim her family got death threats. Okay, the
last I looked, they were still alive, and well, she's
the problem, not her family. They also shared polling results
(10:03):
claiming forty four percent of La County residents recognize her
name and seventeen percent pulled in Chulane County next door.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
Knew who she is.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
Okay, well, you'd have to be living under a rock
in a cave on the other side of the world
with ear muff song not to know who Rebecca Grossman is.
That does not mean they cannot be impartial. I mean,
for Pete's saint, look at Shan Combs's trial, who didn't
know who did he is? Yet they freed him on
three of the five counts good luck with that, Grossman.
(10:36):
What more do we know about the case? I want
to go back to you, Wrek Copudo. This was in
a crosswalk, and they have engineers looking at where a
crosswalk should be, where there should be a double line,
where you should put a red light or a stop
sign or a flashing yellow light for reasons, because at
fence with a topography, I just don't believe that a
(11:00):
crosswalk was You mentioned hills. That's where I'm getting this
from you, Raki Pudo. I just don't believe a crosswalk
was right at the top of the hill.
Speaker 4 (11:09):
Well there was a cross walks. YouMagine a team and
there's a road that's coming down.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
All hilly road coming down.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
And then there's a crosswalk. So my assumption is is
that you know that that might have played into it.
It says that she was on this road, and I
believe that she may have taken a turn where there
was a stop sign and just ripping through it because
she was going really fast. And I've seen this on
a map. But I can understand how someone who is
intoxicated just out of their mind not paying attention to
the room.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
If you're coming down a road like you're saying there's
a hill coming down. You can see down. It's not
as if she was coming up a hill and then
suddenly you're in a crosswalk and there are people in
the middle of it. Cheryl McCollum, you're the former president
of Mothers Against Driving Georgia.
Speaker 8 (11:56):
Help me out here, Nancy.
Speaker 9 (11:57):
There was so many things this woman did wrong before
that accident.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
I'm just talking right now about the crosswalk. Crosswalks are
there in that spot for a reason, so you can see.
Speaker 9 (12:10):
It, correct, but not somebody that's drunk. It could very
well be she was fiddling with the radio. It could
be that she was going through her purse.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
Okay, speaking of that, take a listen to anchor Suzanne
Marquez with Tina Pattel CBS LA. We have more breaking news.
Speaker 6 (12:30):
A driver has been arrested after a crash last night
in Westlake Village that killed two children. CBS two is
Tina Patel is live with the latest on this investigation.
It's heartbreaking developments this morning, Tina.
Speaker 10 (12:43):
It really is. One boy died here at the scene.
The other one was taken to the hospital, and we
just learned that he also passed away. Now the Sheriff's
department is not releasing the ages of those boys, are
saying whether they are related. But you can see the
news of the tragic death has hit this community. Many
are coming now to leave flowers.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
Oh yeah, they weren't releasing a lot of information, and
now we know why. Take a listen to Mary Beth
McDade KTLA five.
Speaker 11 (13:11):
Grossman, who's married to a prominent plastic surgeon Peter Grossman,
reportedly hit one boy who rolled up.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
Onto her hood.
Speaker 11 (13:18):
She reportedly slammed on her brigs so he'd roll off,
and then she ran him over. Deputies reportedly caught up
with Grossman about a quarter mile away in her white Mercedes,
which had front end damage, and arrested her.
Speaker 7 (13:29):
Rebecca Grossman was arrested for a vihictim. She's being charged
to two counts of vehicular mass slaughterer and was arrested
for duy.
Speaker 11 (13:35):
The Scanders are well known in their Westlake village and church.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
Communities, so Rebecca Grossman was driving that white Mercedes married
to a prominent plastic surgeon, Peter Grossman. Now Cheryl McCollum,
former director of Mad m ADD Mothers Against Dunk Driving Georgia,
(14:00):
did you hear that that reportedly hit one boy and
he flew up onto her hood. She kept going about
one hundred feet and slammed on brakes so the boy
would roll off, then ran over him and did not stop.
She kept going. Did you get that in the news
report from KTLA five.
Speaker 9 (14:22):
Think about that, Nancy.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
The cops stit and find her for a quarter of
a mile.
Speaker 9 (14:27):
But Nancy, think about the fact that she's already hurt
him severely by running over him and killing his brother.
She made the choice of getting that child off the
hood of her car and ran over him in order
to flee and get away. She made the conscious choice
(14:48):
to do more damage to that baby than to stop
and render age.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
Joining me right now, I want to go straight out
to doctor Angela Arnold, psychiatrist at Angela Arnold MD dot com.
What in the world would make you keep going after
you hit a child. It reminds me of a case
I covered on Court TV a while back, and the
(15:14):
defendant's name was Chante Mallard. She hit a man in
a street, then with him on the hood. Stuck on
the hood, she drives all the way to her home,
pulls her car into the garage closes the garage and
leaves him on the windshield to die. He could have
(15:36):
been saved in the time. She sat in there, going wow,
Am I going to get in trouble for this? She
left the guy impaled on the hood while he died.
Here you've got this woman, according to eyewitnesses, carried the
little boy on the hood of the car one hundred feet,
slammed on brakes, the boy fell off, then she ran
(15:58):
over him.
Speaker 12 (16:00):
It's such a horrific act, Nancy, that most of us
cannot understand. But to me, it speaks to something deeper
that is wrong with this woman.
Speaker 9 (16:12):
On top of her.
Speaker 8 (16:15):
Alcohol addiction apparently.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
Well, let's talk about that for a moment. I want
to find out from you, Raycomputerowdbo why alcohol is being
thrown around. How come we don't think she was just
let's just say, street racing or joy riding or in
a hurry. How did alcohol get into the mix?
Speaker 5 (16:35):
Well, that's what the deputy said.
Speaker 4 (16:37):
What they found her about a mile down the road. Answer,
this is a scary car. We see this a lot
with people who have money. They know what happens when
things go sideways is if you hit somebody and you're drinking,
the best thing to do is to get the heck
away from the scene, apparently and not be seen until
you're sober up. This woman's car breaks down a mile away,
(16:58):
and that's when she's busted. If she would have got
a way, I would almost guarantee that they remounting a
defense of I wasn't drinking now. Also, you mentioned street racing.
She was apparently street racing too. She was traveling at
a high rate of speed, and she was drinking. I mean,
what a host of factors. And you wonder why something
went wrong.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Here, we'll tell you how. I learned that dui. Driving
under the influence of alcohol or drugs was part of this.
Because she is renowned, prominent member of the community, husband
is a high profile plastic surgeon. She was arrested on
suspicion of manslaughter and dui after smashing her speaking Mercedes
(17:40):
into brothers Mark and Jacob eleven and nine Westlake Village.
She only stopped a mile and a half away when
her engine cut out. Cheryl McCollum, former director of Mad
Mothers Against Drunk Driving Georgia, she didn't pull over and
call police. She was only stopped because of car trouble.
Speaker 9 (18:01):
She did nothing to help this family. She did nothing
to help the two little boys. She did nothing to
render aid help it anyway. She didn't even go to
a pay pone and call now one one anonymously to
get help.
Speaker 12 (18:16):
There.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
You know, Cheryl, suffering the sudden and criminal death of
somebody you love sticks with you forever, as you all know,
having dealt with so many crime victims. But this mother
and father were right there. One son died on the scene,
(18:39):
Cheryl and the car.
Speaker 9 (18:40):
Kept going what that must be like to them? I mean,
Huggies to race BMX and I can play right now
in my head the worst rent he ever had. And
he was fine. But as a mother, you just, you know,
play it over and over and over what they must
be living with watching their two children move down, one
(19:05):
killed at the scene, one you have hoped for for
a moment, and then that snatched from you too because
this woman decides she wants to drink in street race.
You're not from a seventeen year old kid that makes
a stupid decision.
Speaker 1 (19:21):
Believe it or not.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
Wealthy socialite Rebecca Grossman accused suspect number one in mowing
down two little boys out walking with their family gets
the courtroom victory. But what happened when the boys lost
their lives? According to police, this woman, Rebecca Grossman, prominent
(19:46):
in her community and wealthy, not only mowed the two
little boys down in front of mom and dad, but
kept going.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
She was charged with suspicion of voluntary manslaughter and DUI.
I want you to take a listen to our cut
number twelve. Now you may recognize some of these voices.
This is a montage of all the coverage about how
fantastic this woman and her husband were.
Speaker 13 (20:18):
So many of us at ABC News know about the
work that the Grossman burn Foundation has done to provide
so much care, new life for women, children, people around
the United States and the world in need of that
urgent medical care.
Speaker 14 (20:33):
I just wanted to take a moment of your time
this evening to say a few words about the Grossman
burn Foundation. This extraordinary organization is making a huge difference
around the world.
Speaker 13 (20:43):
Another miracle at the gross Burn Center here at Southern California, Astoria.
Speaker 5 (20:47):
The Grossman Burne Foundation has launched a campaign to stop
the violence carried out against women around the world.
Speaker 6 (20:53):
A local oscar winning special effects artists has become a
hero to a woman on the other side of the globe,
a woman who's face was destroyed by her own husband.
Speaker 15 (21:02):
Rebecca Grossman of the Grossman Burne Foundation found out about
Eustonce Rebecca takes the prosthetics, travels to Indonesia and delivers
them to Houston's in person. It's a day eustonce never
thought would come. Finally she gets the first sign of
hope that she'll feel complete again.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
You're hearing so much about the Burne Foundation. Remember, this
woman's husband is a prominent plastic surgeon, so they're well
known and wealthy in that community. I know that the husband,
who is, as I said, a wealthy and prominent plastic surgeon,
(21:38):
had been working with the burn Foundation. But what about
the wife, Rebecca Grossman, and what about that particular day
that these two little boys were mowed down? Take a
listen to Tina Patel CBS LA.
Speaker 16 (22:00):
Investigators arrested a fifty seven year old driver and charged
her with parhicular manslaughter. A white Mercedes with front end
damage was towed away about a half mile from the
crash scene, but investigators would not confirm whether the drivers
stop voluntarily or whether this was a hidden run people
who live nearby. I hope this crash will be a
wake up call for drivers to slow down and for
the city to do more to protect pedestrians.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
You know, I want to go to you, Mark Class,
founder of Class Kids Foundation to protect children. Have you
ever seen cases where the public doesn't get all the
details for a lot of the facts surrounding the case
are kept under the rug. For instance, what is this
woman's blood alcohol? They're not even saying that. They'll confirm
(22:44):
it was a hit and run. She was arrested about
a mile away. Yes, it was a hit and run.
I don't need a crime scene reconstruction is to tell
me that, Mark Class.
Speaker 5 (22:56):
Now she the nonprofit world is full of hit Chris.
It's full of wealthy people who sit on boards of
nonprofit organizations for no other reason than they can talk
about themselves at cocktail parties and give each other awards
for the great work that they do. And I think
Cheryl can attest to that she knows the nonprofit world
(23:17):
as well. And I think that's exactly what we have here. Now.
They can talk about how wonderful missus Grossman is and
all of the great things she's done, but She's also
the woman who plowed down two little boys, bumped one
of them off of the hood of her car, and
then ran over him again so that she could escape responsibility.
(23:40):
This is a woman with no conscience. This is a
woman with no morals. This is a woman who most
certainly does not belong behind the driver's seat of a car.
Speaker 1 (23:50):
Cheryl McCollum, I know that she's charged with suspicion dui.
Now you know the case will be ruined if they
did not do an appropriate blood alcohol content test on her,
a blow test, and that is the end of a
dui case. If you let her off the hook from
that blow test at the scene, you can't prove a trial.
(24:15):
She was GUI, so they have her charge with suspicion dui.
Why would they have charged her with that, Cheryl, There.
Speaker 8 (24:24):
Must be some evidence.
Speaker 9 (24:25):
Either they could smell alcohol in her breath, there was
evidence in the car of a bottle or something like that.
But Nancy, the other thing they're missing. They don't have
the traditional things you would have with an accident like this.
They're not going to have kid mark.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
She didn't stop good point, good point.
Speaker 9 (24:42):
So there's so many things they can't get her accurate speed.
They may not have an accurate via fie. They may
not have it.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
We do know this though, Cheryl. Now this is good
news for the prosecution if they take the case all
the way, if they don't get over pressed with money
and prominence. Just Scott Morgan, the professor forensics Jacks will
sit university and death investigator. The cops have broken down
and told us that this socialite, Rebecca Grossman, did test
(25:15):
over the legal limit.
Speaker 14 (25:17):
Explain, Yeah, the legal limit, dependent upon where you are,
is generally going to be in a range of about
point zero one point five that region right there, and
it's going to go to significant impairment and that is
your motor function. How can you make judgments? But this
(25:39):
is one of the problems going back to what Max
said just a second ago with her. You know, this
woman has a history of driving while intoxicated. This is
my question. If she is addicted to alcohol, her tolerance
level is going to be much higher. So there are
(26:00):
people that have a dependency upon alcohol that can still
function be up.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
You know.
Speaker 14 (26:06):
Whereas you or I might have a drink couple of
glasses of wine or something and we're out like a baby,
this woman might could go through two or three bottles
of wine, so be upright and functioning. Uh so's it's
kind of a hit or miss. They need to have
done this early on.
Speaker 1 (26:22):
And look at the front end of her Mercedes. You
can see it at climeboline dot com.
Speaker 14 (26:29):
Yeah. Yeah, if I could address another car, Yeah, if
I could address that. This is a full size Mercedes Sedan, Nancy.
And you know, Mercedes, one thing they're known for. It's
not just a luxury car. They're known as being a
safe car, well built. And Nancy, it looks like she
ran into a damn telephone pole. It's a center mass strike.
(26:49):
And just so people at home will understand, if you
imagine that great big Mercedes symbol that sits right in
the center of the grill, that's gone, and not only that,
the hood itself is crushed in. This gives us an
indication that when she struck these two little boys, as
you mentioned just a second ago, in front of their parents.
(27:10):
Mind you, she was traveling at such a high rate that,
at least because I don't have all the data from
the scene, it gives the appearance that she hit a
fixed object, Nancy, not some non anchored person like these
two children. She hit something at such a high rate
of speed it literally collapsed the front of that car.
(27:33):
I don't see how the airbags kept from deploying. And
if you look at that image real quick, she did
try to flee. The only reason she didn't get away.
If you take a real close look at that image
on crime on Line, you'll see that there are fluids
that have poured out of the bottom of this thing,
so it disabled the vehicle. My guess is, as Ray
(27:53):
had alluded to earlier, is that if she could have
put as much distance between her and that event, that
that homicide, then you would have had time for the
blood alcohol to metabolize in her system. She would have gone.
And this has happened numbers of times with high profile
(28:14):
people over the years. If you don't have that science
to back it up, if you don't know what the
BA is at that moment in time, you've lost it.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
Foreverything crime stories with Nancy Grace in the last days,
millionaire social like Rebecca Grossman making demands from behind bars.
Does it never end with this woman? What happened that
(28:43):
day when two little brothers were run down dead by her,
and then she lied about it? Six family members were
crossing the three way intersection in a marked cross walk
on the road. The parents heard the speeding Mercedes. They
(29:03):
could hear it speeding and hearing the car, they reached
out to grab their children. They grabbed Zachary and Violet.
Mark and Jacob were too far away. They heard the
speeding car. Cheryl, now you understand the legal implications of this.
(29:25):
They could hear it at a distance speeding. There were
no skid marks. The parents grabbed the children they can reach.
The ones they couldn't reach were mowed down. Analyze it,
Cheryl McCollum.
Speaker 9 (29:40):
Nancy, what you're going to have is you're going to
have the police go They've got to go back. They've
got to get video from every ring camera. If they
have the flock system, they've got to get that video.
They've got to trace her actions backwards. Where did she drink,
how much did she drink? Where did you get it
from that she paid for it? Was it already at home?
(30:02):
Was she had a bar when?
Speaker 1 (30:04):
Yeah, they're going to retrace all of their her steps.
At least I.
Speaker 9 (30:08):
Hope they are. That. They've got to Nancy, because they
don't have anything else, because again they know the blood
alcohol is going to be contested. They know that they're
going to have a fight on their hands. So they've
got to go back and show, just like you used
to do that, this crime didn't occur at nine forty
seven PM or six forty five. This crime occurred at
(30:29):
two o'clock when she took her first drink. It occurred
at three fifteen when she took the next one. It
occurred at five sixty when she had her third one,
and then she chose to get in the car after
five or six or a bottle. And that's what they've
got to show the importance of that. They've got to
go back and show every speeding ticket. They've got to
(30:51):
show every failure to maintain lane. They've got to show
every DUI she's ever had, even if they reduced it
to you know, whatever, they might have reduced it to
reckless driving or such. You know, we all know reckless
driving usually the DUI that's been reduced. They got to
look at every single one, every single time her prominent
(31:11):
husband has saved her. They've got to go talk to
friends and said, hey, how many contail parties does she throw?
How often do y'all know her.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
To you know, it's going to be critical that they
trace her steps that day. Amen, Because Mark Class, I mean,
have you ever heard accident used in DUIs? It's no accident,
Mark Class, Because, as Cheryl McCollum was saying, you start
in the day drinking, you decide to get your car keys,
(31:41):
You decide to walk out to your car after you've
been drinking. You decide to insert the key in the
ignition and start the car, put it reverse and then
drive there you go. All those were conscious decisions, Mark Class.
Speaker 5 (31:56):
There were conscious decisions. Why a woman who's probably done
that hundreds of times and doesn't really seem to care
about the safety of anybody else, feels that she's privileged
enough that she can do what she wants when she
wants and have some kind of a sterling reputation and
a lot of money to fall back on.
Speaker 1 (32:13):
Straight out to Kathleen Murphy, North Carolina, try a lawyer
at the scene. We've seen so many celebrity walk a
straight line tests, touch your nose tests or the ABC's test.
What other tests are performed at the same are supposed
to be performed when cops suspect do UI.
Speaker 8 (32:32):
Well, obviously the markers are a breathalyzer, she could refuse
the breathalyzer. She refuses the breathalyzers, they'll take blood work
at the hospital or wherever she can carcerat as I
would suppose. They can do the field sobriety tests such
as heel toe.
Speaker 9 (32:48):
They also can.
Speaker 8 (32:52):
Take other steps to determine whether or not they're drinking,
such as alcohol bottles in the car, the smell of
alcohol on that lady's breath.
Speaker 1 (33:00):
We do know that this prominent socialite, Rebecca Grossman, was
involved in an accident twenty twelve where the other driver
claims she ran a red light, driving over sixty five
in a forty mph zone and plowed into the back
of his car. The driver passed away later from ill health,
(33:22):
but the insurance report includes his detailed description of the crash. Now,
in that case, we know that insurance paid out one
hundred thousand dollars in a settlement with Grossman. She was
injured in that too, So what if anything, do we
(33:42):
know about her history, Raykipudo.
Speaker 4 (33:44):
Well, Dancy, she's not a good driver, that's for sure.
I mean, you can only speculate that that's connected to this.
I don't know for shirt one. It seems to be
that the writing was on the wall for miss Grossman,
and she had plenty of opportunity to fix some of
the issues that she had her life, but you know,
she didn't.
Speaker 8 (34:02):
And here we are.
Speaker 4 (34:03):
This tragedy was avoidable. There was something that shouldn't have happened,
and now this family is going to be living with
us for the rest of her horizon. This Glosman's life
is done too. Pretty much, her reputation is gone.
Speaker 1 (34:15):
I'm really more worried about the two dead boys than
anybody's reputation, Doctor Angela Arnold. What about the people surrounding her?
I mean, according to a Daily Mail report, quote she's
a reckless driver. The socialite charge with killing two young
boys in Dui hit and run previously totaled another driver's
car after quote speeding through a red light, and then
(34:39):
she sued him even though she ran into the back.
Speaker 2 (34:43):
Of his car.
Speaker 12 (34:44):
You know, Nancy, I don't believe that they should be
calling her a socialite. I think that they should be
calling her a sociopath. That is what this woman is
at the core of who she is. She is a sociopath.
Why we have to be describing this woman who has
hit and killed two children and has absolutely no remorse.
(35:08):
Instead of a social socialite, we should be calling her
a sociopath today because she's wondering.
Speaker 1 (35:14):
I mean, Cheryl McCollum, director of Mad Georgia mother's against
junk driving. Everybody around her, I mean, are they enabling
her drinking and driving way in nanty.
Speaker 9 (35:29):
I think the most important thing is forget everybody around her.
Speaker 4 (35:32):
This is solely on her.
Speaker 9 (35:34):
She did this, This is nothing new behavior. She chose
to drink, she chose to drive, She chose to try
to cover it up. She chose to try to hide
her face. Now she had chosen not to reach out
to the family and apologize. She has chosen to do
all of these things that show exactly who she is.
(35:56):
And I think that last statement was pen on accurate.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
She is a social path demands from behind bars, A
wealthy socialite who runs down two little brothers embracing her
mercedes after a boozy lunch, makes new demands from behind bars.
What's next? Two boys are dead and you're whining.
Speaker 17 (36:18):
The venn I Superior Court judge denied Grossman's bid to
move the trial. Grossman's civil attorneys argued extensive negative publicity
surrounding the accident and legal proceedings would inevitably buy us
local jurors against her, making a fair trial impossible. In
La County, Judge Huey Cotton acknowledged that Grossman had been
(36:40):
portrayed unfavorably on social media and drew attention from the press,
but he agreed with the Iskandors attorneys that the news
coverage mostly reported the facts rather than expressing outrage. Grossman's
team argued a venues such as Sulaire County in central
California would provide a jury pool less prejudiced against their client,
(37:00):
but the judge did not agree, saying the Los Angeles
Superior Court handles high profile cases on a regular basis
and expressed confidence that the court and attorneys on both
sides will be able to ferret out prejudice in the
jury pool and seat an impartial jury. That left one
important question remaining. Will the Iskander attorneys be allowed to
(37:21):
depose Grossman's husband a second time and her daughter Alexis
for the first time? And that answer is yes. A
judge ruled that Grossman Burne Foundation co founder Rebecca Grossman
cannot prevent attorneys from deposing her husband a second time
and her daughter in a civil suit filed by the
Iskander family. That trial is set to begin in February.
(37:44):
After Grossman was granted a request for a new date,
it was scheduled to start January. Fifth Judge Huey Pacotton
rejected arguments by Grossman's attorneys that the one previous deposition
taken of the philanthropist's husband, doctor Peter gross by the
plaintiff's attorneys, was enough, adding that deposing daughter Alexis Grossman,
(38:06):
sixteen at the time of the crash would further traumatize
the young woman already suffering from PTSD. The judge countered
that Alexis, now twenty one, was able to testify on
her mother's behalf at the criminal trial, and she was
one of the first people on the scene after the crash.
The judge ruled the disability does not disqualify her from
(38:27):
appearing at deposition. The judge also ruled husband Peter Grossman
may have relevant information. Peter Grossman is a defendant in
the suit on grounds he allegedly granted permissive use to
his wife to drive the vehicle use in the accident
included in the deposition motion is a request by the
iskanders to question the renowned plastic surgeon about the transferred
(38:49):
title to the couple's sprawling, twelve bathroom, thirteen thousand square
foot hilltop mansion to a mystery trust and lawyer. It's
now on sale for thirteen monero point five million, according
to court documents, with convicted child killer Rebecca Grossman now
being accused of fraudulently hiding assets ahead of the wrongful
death trial. They say Peter Grossman has first hand knowledge
(39:13):
of Rebecca's finances. The iskandor's attorney says the giant property
is an asset subject to collection against Rebecca Grossman.
Speaker 1 (39:23):
As always, our prayers with the victim's family at this
hour and we wait as justice and false good Night friend,
Host
Nancy Grace
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