Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

Episode: DEATH BY MERCEDES: $$$ Socialite Mows Down Brothers, Ordered to Sit for Deposition in Wrongful Death Suit
Date: September 21, 2025

Episode Overview

In today’s episode, Nancy Grace and her panel analyze the tragic case of Rebecca Grossman, a wealthy socialite convicted of killing two young brothers, Mark and Jacob Iskender, in a residential Los Angeles suburb by driving her Mercedes while intoxicated. Grossman, currently serving a 15-to-life sentence, is demanding her civil wrongful death trial be moved due to media coverage. The episode meticulously reconstructs the fatal incident, examines Grossman's background and ongoing legal maneuvers, and discusses systemic issues with DUI enforcement and privilege.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Incident: Tragedy in Westlake Village

• The Fatal Night (02:29–06:28):
  • On a September evening, the Iskender family—parents and four children—were crossing a well-marked crosswalk.
  • Grossman, allegedly racing her Mercedes after a “boozy lunch” with her lover, struck Mark (11) and Jacob (8), killing both.
  • Eyewitnesses and police reported that one child was carried 100 feet on the hood before being run over; Grossman fled until her car broke down a mile away.
  • Nancy Grace: “Can you imagine coming up on the scene and seeing a little helmet, a child’s scooter, and crime scene tape?” (04:47)
• Victims’ Family: Both parents were present, able only to save two other children as the car approached.

2. Crime Scene & Recklessness

• Position of Crosswalk (06:44–09:02, 13:48–16:36):
  • The route featured a downhill slope, but panelists agree: crosswalks are placed intentionally for visibility.
  • Cheryl McCollum (MADD): “You’re not supposed to put a crosswalk at the top of a hill. You want people to see it for safety.”
  • The crash occurred before dark; six visible pedestrians, including a stroller, were in the crosswalk.
• Lack of Skid Marks: Police and experts emphasized there were no skid marks, suggesting Grossman made no effort to stop.

3. Grossman's Actions and Arrest

• Flight and Arrest (18:10–22:59):
  • Grossman continued driving after the collision and only stopped when her Mercedes became disabled.
  • Cheryl McCollum: “She made the conscious choice to do more damage to that baby than to stop and render aid.” (19:24)
  • Grossman was arrested for suspicion of DUI and vehicular manslaughter.

4. Alcohol Involvement and Prior History

• DUIs & Evidence (21:15–33:25):
  • Grossman was reportedly intoxicated, and police stated she tested over the legal blood-alcohol limit.
  • Jo Scott Morgan (forensics): “She struck those boys at such speed, the front end looked like it hit a telephone pole.” (31:28)
  • Grossman had a history of reckless driving, including a prior 2012 accident where she ran a red light going 65 in a 40.
  • The panel stresses the importance of immediate toxicology for successful prosecution.
  • Recurring theme: privilege and influence may help wealthy suspects evade accountability, unless evidence is robust.

5. Civil Trial and Legal Maneuvering

• Demand to Change Venue (13:53–16:06; 42:44–44:32):
  • Grossman’s legal team argues that media coverage makes a fair trial in LA County impossible—polling shows high awareness of her name.
  • Nancy Grace: “You’d have to be living under a rock in a cave on the other side of the world with earmuffs on not to know who Rebecca Grossman is. That does not mean they cannot be impartial.” (13:53)
  • Panel doubts her claim, drawing comparisons with other high-profile trials.

6. Privilege and Public Persona

• Community Standing (25:30–27:53):
  • Audio montage highlights the Grossman family’s philanthropic reputation (Grossman Burn Center/Foundation).
  • Mark Klaas (Class Kids): “The nonprofit world is full of hypocrites… [She] plowed down two little boys, bumped one off her hood, then ran over him… This is a woman with no conscience.” (28:18)
• Panel’s Frustration: Suspects high-profile and wealthy defendants are often painted as benevolent by media and society, complicating justice.

7. Aftermath and Systemic Issues

• Victim Impact (23:14–24:18):
  • Panelists discuss the unimaginable trauma for the Iskender family, particularly the parents who witnessed the deaths.
• DUI Enforcement Gaps (29:48–41:29):
  • Experts stress a lack of field sobriety tests and delayed toxicology can jeopardize DUI convictions, especially with influential suspects.
  • Jo Scott Morgan: “If you don’t know the BAC at that moment in time, you’ve lost it forever.” (33:07)
• Pattern of Recklessness: Grossman reportedly never acknowledged guilt or apologized; the panel repeatedly calls her a “sociopath” rather than “socialite.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Nancy Grace on Privilege (13:53): “You’d have to be living under a rock in a cave on the other side of the world with earmuffs on not to know who Rebecca Grossman is. That does not mean they cannot be impartial.”
• Cheryl McCollum on Moral Responsibility (28:19): “She plowed down two little boys, bumped one… then ran over him again… This is a woman with no conscience.”
• Nancy Grace on Blame (42:44): “I’m really more worried about the two dead boys than anybody’s reputation.”
• Dr. Angela Arnold on Diagnosis (43:13): “I think they should be calling her a sociopath… Why do we have to be describing this woman a socialite?”
• Mark Klaas on Repeated Offending (40:25): “[These were] conscious decisions by a woman who’s probably done that hundreds of times and doesn’t really care about the safety of anybody else.”
• Cheryl McCollum on Accountability (44:32): “Forgive everybody around her. This is solely on her. She chose to drink. She chose to drive. She chose to try to cover it up… She is a sociopath.”

Important Timestamps

• 02:29 – Episode introduction and case outline
• 04:07–06:09 – Incident details and panel introductions
• 08:11–09:26 – Family routine contextualized; imagining tragedy
• 10:18–11:54 – Scene aftermath and initial responses
• 13:53–16:06 – Grossman’s civil trial venue demands
• 16:36–17:18 – DUI, crosswalk analysis, and speculation on driver distractions
• 18:10–22:59 – Eyewitness account, arrest details, and panel outrage at flight
• 25:30–27:53 – Media portrayal and Grossman Burn Foundation legacy
• 29:48–31:28 – DUI investigation challenges and Mercedes crash analysis
• 40:25–41:01 – Panel on conscious choices and repeat offending
• 43:13–43:42 – Psychiatric perspective: sociopath, not socialite
• 44:32 – Closing statement on accountability

Tone & Language

Throughout, Nancy Grace’s tone is blunt, urgent, and deeply sympathetic to victims. Panelists echo her indignation, focusing on the injustice, the trauma to the family, and the systemic failures that enable such tragedies. The language is plainspoken, passionate, and unfiltered—matching the emotional intensity of the topic.

Summary

This episode is a sobering and thorough examination of the Iskender boys’ wrongful deaths at the hands of Rebecca Grossman, underscoring both the individual and systemic failures that intersect privilege, DUI, and pedestrian safety. The panel rigorously dissects the events, the suspect’s behavior, and the obstacles faced in seeking justice, while refusing to let Grossman’s social status obscure her culpability. The closing plea: keep focus on the victims and demand true accountability.