Nick Reiner has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first degree murder in the fatal stabbing of his parents, acclaimed Hollywood director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner. The plea was entered by his lawyer, deputy public defender Kimberly Greene, as the 32 year old stood behind glass in a packed Los Angeles courtroom.
Rob Reiner was 78. His wife was 70. They were married for 36 years. Their bodies were found on December 14 at their home in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles, and their son was arrested hours later. He has been held without bail since.
For those of us old enough to remember, Rob Reiner gave us some of the finest American films of a generation. This Is Spinal Tap, Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, A Few Good Men. The man could do comedy, drama, and everything in between. That his life ended in violence, allegedly at the hands of his own child, is a tragedy that defies comprehension.
The not guilty plea at this stage is standard procedure for criminal defendants, whatever their longer term strategy might be. More interesting was the departure of Reiner’s previous lawyer, the high profile Alan Jackson, who quit in January citing circumstances he said legal ethics prevented him from explaining. On his way out, Jackson declared outside the courthouse that “pursuant to the laws of California, Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder” and said he wanted to push back against false reporting on the case.
The district attorney’s office has not yet decided whether to seek the death penalty. The LA County Medical Examiner confirmed both victims died from “multiple sharp force injuries” and were killed hours before their bodies were discovered. A court order has prevented the release of further details, and authorities have said nothing about possible motives.
The judge told Reiner to return to court on April 29 for a preliminary hearing where prosecutors will present evidence and a judge will determine whether there is enough to proceed to trial. Until then, the questions far outnumber the answers in one of Hollywood’s most shocking crimes in recent memory.