Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman and Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell announced during a press conference on Tuesday that Nick Reiner will be charged with two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances for the killings of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, who were found dead in their home over the weekend.
Hochman said at the news conference alongside McDonnell that “their loss is beyond tragic and we will commit ourselves to bringing their murderer to justice,” adding that this type of case is “the most serious charge the DA’s office can bring against anyone.” The charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty, Hochman said, with the DA adding that “no decision at this point has been made with respect to the death penalty.” Hochman said Riener also faces a special allegation that he used a knife in the killings; sources familiar with the case sharing that the couple were found with multiple stab wounds.
Reiner, 32, was not medically cleared to appear in court on Tuesday, according his attorney, Alan Jackson. Jackson confirmed to reporters outside Los Angeles Superior Court that he was representing Reiner, and that his client would not be making his first court appearance Tuesday because he hadn’t been medically cleared. Reiner is being held without bail at the Men’s Central Jail in Los Angeles. “Hopefully he’ll be cleared tomorrow and we can get him here,” Jackson said, though he would not specify what medical issue prevented Reiner from being cleared, only saying it was “procedural.”
Nick Reiner had been living on his parents’ property in a guest house separate from the main structure, but was not at home when his parents’ bodies were discovered. Law enforcement sources told ABC News that he was found in Exposition Park near the University of Southern California on Sunday night thanks to “good, solid police work” and was taken into custody. Los Angeles Police Department Assistant Chief Dominic Choi said at the department’s weekly commission meeting on Tuesday that the Reiners were found dead in the master bedroom of their Brentwood home by their daughter, Romy Reiner. Choi did not give any additional new insights into their deaths.
Reiner’s attorney, Alan Jackson, is a partner at the firm Werksman Jackson & Quinn LLP. He has previously represented Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey and Karen Read, among others, in their high-profile cases. He helped secure an acquittal for Read, who had been charged with murdering her police officer boyfriend in Massachusetts. Jackson represented Spacey in his Massachusetts groping case, which was dismissed when the actor’s accuser dropped their civil complaint; and he was also on the team that defended Weinstein in his California criminal trial. In addition, Jackson successfully prosecuted record producer Phil Spector for murdering actress Lana Clarkson.
Nick has a history of battling addiction and he had spoken publicly about his struggles, which reportedly began when he was a teenager. He has said that he has been in and out of addiction treatment facilities, and spent time homeless and living on the streets. Nick co-wrote – and Rob Reiner directed – the 2016 film ‘Being Charlie’ about the struggles of an addicted son and a famous father. While it was not autobiographical, the film included several elements of their lives. Just three months ago, Nick was photographed with his parents and siblings at the premiere of his father’s film “Spinal Tap 2: The End Continues.”
New details about the events leading up to the incident have also been revealed. The night before the killings (Saturday, December 13) Nick and his parents attended a holiday party hosted by comedian Conan O’Brien, where he was seen being disruptive; with sources stating that Rob and Nick had a “brief but loud” argument.
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