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Nick Reiner‘s one-year mental health conservatorship looks set to play a prominent role in his defense against the charges of two counts of first-degree murder with “special circumstances” in the December 14 stabbing deaths of Rob and Michele Reiner.
Deadline has confirmed the youngest son of the A Few Good Men director and his photographer wife was placed on the court approved arrangement from 2020 to 2021.
Unlike the more common type of conservatorship that the likes of Britney Spears was under for years, which mainly controls financial affairs and autonomy, Reiner’s physician originated L.P.S. conservatorship is focused on medical matters, such as treatment and medications.
Facing life behind bars without possibility of parole or even the death penalty, Nick Reiner has had addiction issues for years. Over the last decade, his father spoke out on numerous occasions about how he and Reiner’s mother regretted adopting the so-called tough love approach advocated by various addiction specialists and therapists.
Fictionalized to some extent in the Rob Reiner directed and Nick Reiner co-written Being Charlie film from 2015, the 32-year-old himself has spoken of battles with his family over treatment, and periods of living rough in the past. On medication for mental health issues in recent months, the younger Reiner had been living with his parents at the Brentwood home for several weeks before the killing of the older Reiners from “multiple sharp force injuries” (according to now sealed medical examiner reports) on the first night of Hanukkah late last year.
While presenting no new information on claims of schizophrenia and adverse reactions to medication, the conservatorship offers more insights into efforts to combat the younger Reiner’s problems with drugs and mental health issues.
“This adds a whole new layer to Reiner’s struggles and his defense,” a well-positioned source close to the events of the tragic case. “It certainly makes the job of the public defenders a little easier if they put up insanity or mental health as their case.”
On the other hand, Reiner’s conservatorship, which was first reported by the New York Times, was not renewed – – which it could have been by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge — when it came up five years ago. Overseen by licensed fiduciary Steven Baer, who will almost certainly be on a witness list now, the lack of a renewal will play a role in both the prosecution and defense’s plans.
Speaking succinctly to the NYTimes Thursday, Baer only offered broad perspective, asserting that psychological problems in our society are “an epidemic that is widely misunderstood and this is a horrible tragedy.”
Contacted today by Deadline about the conservatorship revelation, the LA County Public Defender’s Office, which took over Reiner’s defense after his high-priced lawyer Alan Jackson dropped out last week for reasons hasn’t explained (pretty sure it was money, or the lack thereof), said “we will not be issuing any further comment on Mr. Reiner’s case at this time.” Introduced for the first time to the subdued Reiner at his January 7 and having a self-described “30-second” interaction, Kimberly Greene has been appointed to lead the defense.
Reps for Reiner’s siblings Jake and Romy, who discovered her parents’ bodies in the house last month, and other family members had no comment on the conservatorship. Unsurprisingly, close family were aware of Nick Reiner’s yearlong court approved status, sources tell me.
Insisting last week that Reiner will be found guilty “beyond a reasonable doubt” by a LA jury, DA Nathan Hochman said before Christmas, he and his team want to meet with the family, especially Romy, oldest brother Jake andTracy (the adopted daughter from Reiner’s first marriage to Penny Marshall) to learn how they want to process on potential punishment for their relative. With conversations continuing, the family has spoken with the DA’s office at least once and made it clear they are not in favor of the death penalty, I’m told.
Behind bars in downtown LA, but no longer on a suicide watch, Nick Reiner is scheduled to be back before in LASC Judge Theresa McGonigle’s the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center courtroom on February 23. He is expected to enter a plea then. However, Reiner was expected to enter a plea during his two previous hearings, so there could be another delay next month in that aspect.
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