On 4/6, following an eight-week civil trial, Rebecca Grossman, 62, was ordered by a Los Angeles County jury to pay $176 million in damages for an accident that occurred on 29/9/2020.
According to the indictment, on that day, Grossman had been drinking at a bar with a long-time friend, a former professional baseball player. They then drove separately towards Grossman's villa. The victims' family, including three sons, were crossing a crosswalk when they heard cars speeding towards them. The former player's vehicle passed without hitting the two boys. However, Grossman, following closely behind, was driving at nearly 130 km/h in a 70 km/h speed limit zone.
The two boys, aged 6 and 11, were struck, thrown 80 meters, and died at the scene. The perpetrator fled the scene.
In 2024, a jury convicted Grossman of two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of vehicular manslaughter, and one count of hit-and-run. She was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison. Earlier this year, an appellate court upheld her conviction, and she has since petitioned the California Supreme Court to review her case. Her friend was not criminally charged.
This civil trial was conducted separately to determine damages. The victims' family had sought $439 million. Grossman's lawyer argued that the city also bore responsibility, claiming "the condition of the pedestrian crosswalk contributed to the accident". However, the jury disagreed, finding the road was not dangerous.
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Rebecca Grossman, founder of a major burn patient charity and wife of a renowned plastic surgeon, was separated at the time of the accident. *Photo: LA Daily News* |
Although the former baseball player was not criminally prosecuted, the jury determined that both individuals acted with malice and recklessness. Consequently, the jury allowed a second phase of the civil trial to proceed, focusing on punitive damages.
In the United States, particularly under California law, civil damages are categorized into two types: compensatory damages and punitive damages. The latter is not intended to compensate for actual losses but rather to send a message that the defendant's conduct was severe enough to warrant additional financial punishment from society. These funds are still paid to the victims' family, not deposited into state coffers.
Hai Thu
