GROSSMAN’S MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR WAR TO OVERTURN A MURDER CONVICTION

WESTLAKE VILLAGE — As the calendar turns to February 2026, the case of Rebecca Grossman has shifted from the scene of a fatal 2020 hit-and-run into a sophisticated, multi-million dollar psychological operation.

What began as a tragic crosswalk collision that claimed the lives of Mark and Jacob Iskander has transformed into a high-stakes campaign to dismantle a second-degree murder conviction through leaked evidence, jailhouse conspiracies, and a calculated media blitz.

THE ARCHITECTS OF "CONCEALED MISCONDUCT"

At the center of this firestorm is a controversial alliance between the Grossman family and local journalist Cece Woods, Editor-in-Chief of The Current Report.

In late 2025, Woods released a 15-part investigative series alleging a "political prosecution" by DA George Gascón.

The articles, which have gone viral in affluent Southern California circles, push a singular, aggressive narrative: that former MLB pitcher Scott Erickson hit the children first, and that the prosecution suppressed a matching "fog light cover" that would have exonerated Grossman.

While Woods claims to be an independent whistleblower, prosecutors have characterized the relationship as a "funded media strategy" designed to poison the well for a potential retrial.

THE "SMOKING GUN" PHONE CALLS

The most damning evidence of this strategy came not from the courtroom, but from the prison phone lines.

Transcripts of recorded calls from February 2024 reveal Rebecca Grossman directing her husband, renowned plastic surgeon Dr. Peter Grossman, and their daughter Alexis to bypass court orders.

• "Unblock the Videos": Rebecca explicitly told her daughter to release sealed bodycam footage and "put everything out" to the press.

• The "Tom" Connection: She asked Peter if a contact named "Tom" could personally call Judge Joseph Brandolino to "ask him to please let us have a new trial."

• Juror Retaliation: The calls captured Rebecca labeling the jury as "the worst" and "bad jurors," while a family-hired private investigator reportedly visited jurors' homes—a move the prosecution called a blatant act of intimidation.

2026: THE APPELLATE SHOWDOWN

On February 3, 2026, the battle moved to the California Second Appellate District. Grossman’s new attorney, Lara Gressley, argued before a three-judge panel that the "implied malice" required for murder was never proven.

Gressley contended that Grossman was in "shock" after the crash, not acting with a "conscious disregard for human life."

"Tragedy does not imply malice," Gressley told the court. "The jury was never told where the line between manslaughter and murder was drawn."

The judges have taken the appeal under advisement, with a ruling expected later this year.

THE CIVIL DELAY: JUSTICE POSTPONED AGAIN

While the criminal appeal looms, the Iskander family’s wrongful death lawsuit has hit a fresh wall of delays.

Originally set for January, the trial was pushed to April 13, 2026, after Rebecca’s lead civil defense attorney unexpectedly exited the case.

Adding to the tension, the Grossmans are currently fighting a desperate legal battle to block the depositions of Peter and Alexis Grossman.

The Iskander family’s attorneys are seeking to question them directly about their roles in the "press strategy" and the source of the funds used to fuel the media campaign.

For the Iskander family, who have now spent over five years in a cycle of grief and litigation, the "Great Health Opening" of the legal system seems farther away than ever.

"Justice delayed feels like justice denied," a local supporter noted during a recent vigil. "Wealth should not be a tool to rewrite history."