Nick Reiner, the 32-year-old son of acclaimed director Rob Reiner, pleaded not guilty Monday to two counts of first-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of his parents in December.
Reiner’s attorney, Deputy Public Defender Kimberly Greene, entered the plea on his behalf as he stood behind glass in an enclosed custody area of the packed Los Angeles courtroom.
The third of Rob Reiner’s four children, Nick Reiner has been held without bail since his arrest hours after the actor-director and Michele Singer Reiner, his wife of 36 years, were found dead on Dec. 14 at their home in the upscale Brentwood section of Los Angeles.
Reiner appeared in court with his head shaved and wearing brown jail clothes. He talked to his lawyer briefly before the judge began the hearing and spoke only to answer yes to a question from the judge. He was not wearing the suicide prevention smock he wore in his first court appearance in December.
The judge told Reiner to return to court April 29 for the scheduling of a preliminary hearing where prosecutors will present evidence and a judge will decide if it’s enough for Reiner to go to trial.
District Attorney Nathan Hochman said outside court that his office still hasn’t decided whether it will seek the death penalty for Reiner. Hochman said the death penalty decision “goes through a very rigorous process. We will be looking at all aggravating and mitigating circumstances.”
Reiner’s not guilty plea is common for criminal defendants at this stage of the case, whatever their longer-term plan might be.
Reiner’s former attorney, the high-profile private lawyer Alan Jackson, had to quit the case at the previous hearing in January because of what he called circumstances beyond his and his client’s control. He said legal ethics would not allow him to say why, but in parting he adamantly declared that “pursuant to the laws of California, Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder.”
Jackson did not elaborate but said the conclusion came after weeks of intensive investigation before his team had to hand the case off. He said he wanted to push back against false reporting on the case.
It’s not clear who hired Jackson to represent Reiner or who was paying the bill. Generally, defendants use public defenders when they can’t afford a private attorney.
Deputy District Attorney Habib Balian said Monday that his office is still awaiting a full autopsy report in the case, but all other evidence has been turned over to the defense.
Rob Reiner, 78, and Michele Singer Reiner, 70, died from “multiple sharp force injuries,” the LA County Medical Examiner said in initial findings. Authorities said they were killed hours before the bodies were discovered. A court order has prevented the release of more details and authorities have said nothing about possible motives.
Rob Reiner was a prolific director whose work included some of the most memorable and endlessly watchable movies of the 1980s and ’90s. His credits included “This is Spinal Tap,” “Stand By Me,” “A Few Good Men,” and “When Harry Met Sally… ,” during whose production he met photographer Michele Singer and married her soon after.
