Nick Reiner Arraignment Delayed After Lawyer Removes Himself From Case

The criminal case against Nick Reiner, accused of killing his famous parents, took a sudden turn this week when his high-powered defence lawyer withdrew just as Reiner was due to enter a plea.

The 32-year-old appeared briefly in a Los Angeles courtroom on Wednesday on two counts of first-degree murder over the fatal stabbing of his father, Hollywood director Rob Reiner, and his mother, photographer Michele Singer Reiner. Instead of entering a plea, the hearing was delayed after attorney Alan Jackson asked to step down from the case.

Rob Reiner, 78, and Michele Singer Reiner, 70, were found dead in their Brentwood home on 14th December with what authorities described as multiple stab wounds. Prosecutors allege they were killed in the master bedroom in the early hours of the morning. Nick Reiner was arrested later that day without incident, around 15 miles from the house.

When asked by the judge if he agreed to postponing the arraignment, Reiner replied: “Yeah, I agree with your honor on that.” His plea hearing has now been rescheduled for 23rd February, and he will be represented by a public defender.

Outside court, Jackson said his decision was not a reflection of his belief in the case, but that continuing was no longer possible. “Circumstances beyond our control and, more importantly, circumstances beyond Nick’s control have dictated that, sadly, it’s made it impossible to continue our representation of Nick,” he said. He added that he was barred from explaining further and insisted his former client was innocent, saying: “what we’ve learned, and you can take this to the bank, is that pursuant to the laws of this state, pursuant to the law of California, Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder. Print that.”

Prosecutors strongly disagree. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said: “We are fully confident that a jury will convict Nick Reiner beyond a reasonable doubt of the brutal murders of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michelle Singer Reiner, and do so unanimously.”

Reiner, who wore brown jail clothing in court and appeared calm, is also facing a special allegation that a knife was used. If convicted, he could face life in prison without parole or the death penalty, though prosecutors have not said whether they will seek capital punishment.

Public defender Kimberly Greene, who has now taken over the case, asked for more time to prepare, saying she had only briefly spoken to Reiner. She noted it is not unusual for private lawyers to hand cases over to her office. The Public Defender’s Office later said: “The Public Defender’s Office recognises what an unimaginable tragedy this is for the Reiner family and the Los Angeles community.”

Questions have been raised about the sudden change in legal representation, given Rob Reiner’s estimated fortune of around $200m. It remains unclear who had been paying Jackson’s fees.

Nick Reiner has previously spoken publicly about long-running struggles with drug addiction and mental health. He even co-wrote a film about a family dealing with addiction, which his father directed. Investigators have said relatives told them he had argued with his father shortly before the killings.

The Reiner family has asked for privacy. In a statement released last month, Nick’s siblings said: “words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day.”