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Rebecca Grossman, a California lady who prosecutors say was racing when she struck and killed two youngsters in a crosswalk in 2020, pleaded not guilty to murder, vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, and different charges on Friday.
Her high-profile lawyer, Tony Buzbee, mentioned after Friday’s arraignment that “what occurred that night time was a horrible, unspeakable tragedy,” however “touring over the posted velocity restrict is just not murder, irrespective of how the DA makes an attempt to twist the info for his personal functions.”
“The prosecution’s continued insistence on making this a murder case by overcharging my shopper, a pillar of this group, with murder is nothing greater than a clear effort to pressure her to plea,” Buzbee mentioned in an announcement.
Rebecca Grossman, co-founder of the Grossman Burn Foundation, arrives at Van Nuys Courthouse for her preliminary listening to. Grossman is charged with murder and different counts stemming from a crash in Westlake Village that left two younger brothers lifeless.
(Getty Images)
Investigators testified throughout a preliminary listening to earlier this yr that Grossman drove by means of an unmarked crosswalk at 70 mph in the Westlake Village neighborhood on Sept. 29, 2020, and struck 11-year-old Mark and 8-year-old Jacob Iskander, killing each of them.
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“I used to be driving and abruptly my airbag went off. Someone wants to inform me about these youngsters, I’m advised youngsters have been concerned,” Grossman might be heard telling a deputy on physique digicam footage that was performed in court docket, in accordance to Fox 11 Los Angeles.
An indication exhibits a picture of Mark Iskander, 11, left, and his brother Jacob Iskander, 8, outdoors of Van Nuys Courthouse have been a preliminary listening to was held for Rebecca Grossman who’s charged with murder and different counts stemming from a crash in Westlake Village.
(Getty Images)
Buzbee blamed the crash on a “poorly marked, unguarded, and unlit” crosswalk that he says the town failed to keep.
“The metropolis was sued for this crossing. We assume it is going to be a significant focus in this case. The knowledge surrounding it paints an image of a particularly harmful crossing that the town ignored,” Buzbee advised Fox News Digital on Sunday.
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The metropolis supervisor for Westlake Village did not instantly reply to a request for touch upon Sunday.
Nancy Iskander and her husband Karim go away Van Nuys Courthouse throughout a lunch break from a preliminary listening to for Rebecca Grossman who’s charged with murder and different counts stemming from a crash in Westlake Village that left the Iskanders sons Mark Iskander, 11, and Jacob Iskander, 8, lifeless.
(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times through Getty Images)
The boys’ mother and father, Nancy and Karim Iskander, each testified in court docket in the course of the preliminary listening to.
“The killing of my sons have been oblique penalties of these extraordinarily reckless actions that mainly used the automobile as a weapon. I don’t see a distinction between that and taking pictures a gun randomly,” Karim Iskander mentioned in court docket in April, Fox 11 Los Angeles studies.
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Investigators allege that on the time of the crash, Grossman was racing former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Scott Erickson, who was charged with reckless driving in reference to the wreck final summer season.
Grossman is the co-founder of the Grossman Burn Foundation and her husband is Dr. Peter Grossman, a outstanding plastic surgeon.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
