Nick Reiner to appear in court over killing of parents Rob and Michele Reiner
Nick Reiner is set to appear in court over the killing of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner.
His scheduled appearance in a Los Angeles Superior Court comes three-and-a-half weeks after the actor-director and his wife of 36 years were found dead with stab wounds in their home in the upscale Brentwood section of Los Angeles, authorities said.
Nick Reiner, 32, the youngest of Rob Reiner’s four children, was arrested hours later, and has been held without bail since.
He was charged two days later with two counts of first-degree murder.
He did not enter a plea during a brief first court appearance on December 17, when he wore shackles and a suicide prevention smock.
His lawyer Alan Jackson has given no indication of the plans for his defence.
Nearly all defendants in criminal cases plead not guilty at this stage.
Mr Jackson could also ask for another delay before a plea is entered.
If Nick Reiner pleads not guilty, the case would normally head towards a preliminary hearing to determine whether there is enough evidence for him to stand trial.
His mental competence for trial could also be a factor.
A decade ago, Nick Reiner publicly discussed his severe struggles with addiction and mental health after making a movie with his father, Being Charlie, which was very loosely based on their lives.
Rob Reiner, 78, and Michele Singer Reiner, 70, were killed early on the morning of December 14, and they were found in the late afternoon, authorities said.
The LA County Medical Examiner said in initial findings that they died from “multiple sharp force injuries” but released no other details, and police have said nothing about possible motives.
Mr Jackson is a high-profile defence lawyer and former LA County prosecutor who represented Harvey Weinstein at his Los Angeles trial and Karen Read at her intensely followed trials in Massachusetts.
After the initial Reiner hearing, Mr Jackson called the case “a devastating tragedy”.
He said the proceedings will be very complex and asked that the circumstances be met “not with a rush to judgment”.
The counts against Reiner come with special circumstances of multiple murders and an allegation that he used a dangerous weapon, a knife.
The additions could mean a greater sentence.
Prosecutors have said they have not yet decided whether to seek the death penalty.
The prosecution is being led by deputy district attorney Habib Balian, whose recent cases included the Menendez brothers’ attempt at resentencing and the trial of Robert Durst.
Rob Reiner was a prolific director whose work included some of the most memorable films of the 1980s and ’90s.
His credits included This is Spinal Tap, Stand By Me, A Few Good Men and When Harry Met Sally.
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