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Nick Reiner is “not guilty” of the murder of his parents, claims his now former defense attorney Alan Jackson. However, after a shocking day in court Wednesday, LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochman outside the criminal courts in downtown LA, says otherwise.
“We are fully confident that a jury will convict Nick Reiner beyond a reasonable doubt of the brutal murder of his parents Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner,” the DA proclaimed today. Previously, at the same set of microphones in front of the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center, Jackson proclaimed, “pursuant to the laws of this state, pursuant to the law in California, Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder.”
Being Charlie co-writer Reiner being charged with two counts of first-degree murder with “special circumstances” in the stabbing deaths of the Misery director and his photographer spouse. Hochman would not comment Wednesday if he had decided to pursue the death penalty or seek life without parole for Reiner. Previously the DA said his office would be meeting with the family to hear their opinion on how the case should go forward in terms of punishment. Reiner’s siblings and other family members are not in favor of the death penalty, sources tells me.
As of right now, a further hearing is scheduled in DTLA for February 23, with Nick Reiner anticipated to enter a plea.
Wishing his now former client “the very, very best moving forward,” Jackson, flanked by his team, would not reveal Wednesday why he had suddenly stepped aside. “I’m legally and I’m ethically prohibited from explaining all the reasons why, I know that’s a question on everybody’s mind,” the media savvy attorney told the assembled media. Jackson quickly left the downtown criminal court with a trail of journalists following him to his waiting car.
Acclaimed 78-year-old filmmaker Rob Reiner and 68-year-old Michele were found dead in their West L.A. home on the first night of Hanukkah from “multiple sharp force injuries,” according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner in records since sealed by a LAPD request court order. Having struggled with addiction for years, Nick Reiner had been living in a guesthouse on his parents’ Brentwood property for several weeks at the time of the killing. He was arrest mere hours afterwards by the LAPD and placed in solitary in a DTLA cell.
Wednesdays’ remarks by Jackson and Hochman came after an early morning hearing in which the younger and incarcerated Reiner was expected to enter a plea. With high profile attorney Jackson’s sudden and still unexplained departure from the case, the matter has been turned over to the public defender’s office ASAP.
A member of the public defender’s team said today that she had only had “about 30 seconds” to speak with the younger Reiner as matters unfolded quickly. The public defender’s office said they were informed last night that Jackson would be ending his representation of Reiner.
MORE TO COME
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