LA Socialite and philathropist Rebecca Grossman was not too long ago sentenced with 15 years to life in jail for fatally hanging two younger brothers in successful and run incident that occurred in Westlake Village, LA within the morning of Sept. 29, 2020.
This, after making a determined plea to contemplate “My pain, my recognition of the pain the Iskanders suffer, and the pain I watch my family endure, are punishments that I already suffer and will for the rest of my life.”
She was discovered responsible early this yr of second diploma murders of brothers Jacob, 8, and Mark Iskander, 11.
According to a report, prosecutors have been gunning for Judge Joseph Brandolino to present her the utmost 34 years to life sentence, however the decide, contemplating her philanthropic background, mentioned that she was “not a monster as the prosecutors portrayed her to be,” and simply handed down the 15 years to life sentence. She would additionally must pay $47,000 as restitution to the Iskander household.
The lenient sentence was controversial as a result of particulars of the occasion confirmed that Grossman had been ingesting along with her lover, former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Scott Erickson for brunch when the pair determined to race across the residential space the place Grossman struck the 2 brothers.
Grossman strongly rejected the “murderer” label regardless of her conviction. “I am not a murderer, and I ask you to recognise that true fact,” she wrote in a letter to the decide.
She recognised the struggling of the Iskander household, who misplaced their sons, and the ache it induced her family. Grossman argued that her emotional burden is already a big punishment and pleaded with the decide to contemplate it throughout sentencing.
Speeding, Racing, and Hit-and-Run
Grossman’s husband, famend plastic surgeon Dr. Peter Grossman, together with their kids Alexis and Nick, submitted letters to the court docket supporting a probationary sentence. About three dozen of Grossman’s supporters additionally submitted related letters.
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All three additionally attended court docket on Monday for Grossman’s sentencing, the place she confronted the victims’ family members. “My pain is a fraction of your pain,” Grossman mentioned in tears to the younger victims’ mom, Nancy Iskander, in response to the Los Angeles Times.
Overcome by denial following the crash, Grossman reportedly advised the court docket, “I never saw anyone. I never saw anyone.” She expressed her despair, stating, “I would have driven into a brick wall …. I don’t know why God did not take my life.”
Fueled by grief, Nancy Iskander pleaded with Judge Brandolino to impose a sentence that mirrored the tragic lack of her two sons, in response to the newspaper. “She is a coward,” she reportedly mentioned of Grossman.
Peter Grossman remained by his spouse’s facet all through the trial, even after proof emerged that she had been ingesting along with her then-boyfriend, Erickson, earlier than the crash.
In the letter, Rebecca Grossman continued to keep away from taking full duty, claiming that though the “tragic accident” that killed the brothers haunts her, she “did not see anyone or anything in the road” on the day her automotive struck Jacob and Mark.
Prosecutors claimed she was in a high-speed race with Erickson in her Mercedes GLE 43 AMG, reaching speeds of as much as 81 mph earlier than the horrific crash. “I can only imagine the pain that (the boys’ parents) Nancy and Karim Iskander feel minute by minute,” Grossman wrote. “I will carry my pain for the rest of my life.” Grossman insisted she was not drunk or medication on the time of the accident.
“The voices demanding vengeance and retribution are reacting to the tragic loss of Mark and Jacob, but they do not fairly describe me or who I am. I am not a murderer,” she concluded.
Who Is Rebecca Grossman
Rebecca Grossman co-founded the Grossman Burn Foundation. She is a 60-year-old prosperous California socialite and philanthropist married to Dr. Peter Grossman. Together, they began the inspiration and have two kids, a son and a daughter.
According to the West Hills Hospital web site, Dr. Grossman, a plastic surgeon, splits his non-public medical follow between beauty and reconstructive surgical procedure and caring for burn-injured sufferers. He serves because the medical director of the Grossman Burn Centers at West Hills Hospital and San Joaquin Community Hospital in Bakersfield.
Victim’s Family Denounces Self-Centered Letter
The letter to the decide echoed the one Grossman despatched to Nancy and Karim Iskander, which the household criticised for specializing in her personal ache fairly than theirs. The Iskanders additionally revealed her proposal to purchase a home and convert it right into a burn and trauma centre devoted to their sons, a suggestion they discovered insensitive.
The prosecution has labelled her as a “narcissist,” satisfied her wealth and movie star would safe her freedom. They additionally accuse her of trying to pin the deadly crash on Erickson.
“The defendant’s actions from September 29, 2020, through today show a complete lack of remorse and narcissistic superiority that leads to only one conclusion, that she is undeserving of any leniency,” prosecutors mentioned.
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“The loss of these two innocent lives has devastated their family and our community. Ms. Grossman’s blatant disregard for human life is a stark reminder of the grave consequences of irresponsible behaviour behind the wheel,” Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón mentioned in a statement.
According to WHO, an estimated 1.19 million folks lose their lives on the roads, and hundreds of thousands extra are injured yearly. Tragically, that is the main reason for loss of life for kids and younger adults aged 5-29 years.