Ex-MLB Shortstop Royce Clayton Testifies In Friend's Civil Wrongful Death Trial — Direct-Exam

Royce Clayton is a retired Major League Baseball shortstop who was at a restaurant with Rebecca Grossman and Scott Erickson before Grossman killed two young brothers with her SUV in a crosswalk near Westlake Village, California. Clayton testified today in the civil trial over a wrongful death lawsuit filed against Grossman, Erickson, and Grossman's husband by Nancy and Karim Iskander, whose sons Mark Iskander, 11, and Jacob Iskander, 8, died on Sept. 29, 2020. He recounted seeking his cousin's advice after learning of the crash and Erickson's involvement. Erickson was an MLB pitcher from 2004 to 2019, and he and Clayton were friends who sometimes met at restaurants and bars in Westlake Village, California, where Clayton coached baseball at Oaks Christian School. Grossman is serving 15 years to life in prison after a jury in 2024 convicted her of five crimes, including second-degree murder and hit and run. Erickson was not charged with a crime. Clayton testified in direct-examination this morning (Friday, May 1) with the Iskanders' lawyer Brian Panish. 02:33 "Major League Baseball would provide speakers and the teams to alert players about the risks of alcohol, drugs and motor vehicles?" "Yes." "And you knew, as your teammates in your knowledge that it was dangerous to consume alcohol and drive?" "Yes." 03:02 "Mr. Scott Erickson, you knew him at the time for approximately 30 years. Is that right? Roundabout?" "Yes." 05:20 "You were gonna have lunch, you and your attorney, and you saw that Mr. Erickson was at the bar?" "I received, I believe, in a text from Mr. Erickson asked me if I want to join him at stone house, and at that time, 'I said, I'm here.'" 07:28 "Who did he tell you he was going to meet?" "Rebecca Grossman." "Did you know who Rebecca Grossman was at that time?" "I briefly met her one time previous." They went from Stonehaus to Julio's about 5:30 p.m. 10:32 "When you arrived, as was probably not uncommon, as you walked in, you saw parents of children that attended the school that you were the coach?" "I saw some other coaches." 11:06 "He wasn't eating anything, was he?" "No." "As you sat down, Mr. Erickson had already ordered drinks." "Yes." 12:28 "So when you sat down, there already was a margarita there for you?" "Yes." 13:17 "He had already drank the first margarita before he sat down?" "Yeah." 15:32 "It was unaware to me that the first debates between Trump and Biden were going on and thinking in the previous conversation leading up to that, Rebecca had just purchased a new home, and they asked if I wanted to come watch the debate at Rebecca's home." 16:25 "Since this occurred September 29 2020, you've had no communication with Ms. Grossman. Is that right?" "Yes." Sees Erickson day after crash: 21:30 "What was he doing?" "He was eating a hamburger and having a beer." "Did you say something to him?" "I don't recall. I did speak with him. I don't recall what I said." "Do you remember telling Mr. Erickson that you couldn't believe what happened with those boys and they were gone?" "I'm sure at some point in time I did refer to that." 23:32 "well, you certainly weren't going to tell him not to drive. That was that true?" "Yeah, if I felt he was stumbling or incoherent, I would suggest that he didn't." 27:54 called his cousin Scott Butler, a former sheriff's deputy 30:06 "There was another vehicle involved in the incident, and at that time, there was no knowledge of what that vehicle was, who was involved, the other driver of the car. And I knew this information." 36:36 "He did refer to Ms. Grossman as his girlfriend." "Did you know that Mrs. Grossman was married at that time?" "No." 38:33 They were going to make tacos at Grossman's house and watch the debate. He went to the store. " When I got out the store, I called Scott to get the address." 48:23 "Now, when you were having these conversations, did Mr. Erickson appear to be coherent to you?" "He wasn't himself, as I can only imagine, going through what he witnessed." 51:01 "I don't speak to Scott anymore unless I see him in the social setting. We don't conversate via phone, call, text." 51:36 "Mr. Clayton, you met you mentioned earlier in your prior testimony that you're upset about accountability." "Yeah, but one has nothing to do with the other." 54:33 "Tell us what Mr. Erickson told you when he was at the scene talking to you on the phone about what transpired." Clayton breaks down... 58:19 'and you felt that Mr. Ericson should contact the lawyer, and you told him that, right?" "Yes." 01:04:07 “And when Mr. Erickson talked to he told you he swerved to avoid the boys in the crosswalk. Is that right?” “Yes.” “He also told you they looked at his rear view mirror and saw Rebecca Grossman hit both boys, didn’t he?” “Yeah." 01:09:55 texts between Clayton and Erickson 01:12:37 "Were you worried about blowback or reactions of Mr. Erickson?" "No." "Were you worried about being labeled a snitch?" "Yes."