Nick Reiner’s defense lawyer quits as his arraignment over father’s murder is delayed
Lawyer Alan Jackson has requested he be replaced by a public defender
Nick Reiner’s lawyer Alan Jackson has withdrawn from the upcoming trial over the murder of Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner.
Jackson has asked to be replaced by a public defender.
Judge Theresa McGonigle agreed to the request during a hearing on Wednesday, where Nick Reiner had been set to be arraigned and enter a plea. The arraignment has now been delayed until February 23.
As Variety reports, deputy public defender Kimberly Greene will now take over the defense case. Jackson did not say why he had chosen to step away from the case.
Speaking outside the courthouse, Jackson maintained that Nick Reiner is not guilty of the murder of his parents, saying: “Pursuant to the laws of this state, pursuant to the law in California, Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder.”
Deadline reports that Jackson announced that “circumstances beyond our control but more importantly circumstances beyond Nick’s control have dictated that sadly it’s made it impossible for us to continue our representation of Nick.”
The lawyer added: “I’m legally and I’m ethically prohibited from explaining all the reasons why, I know that’s a question on everybody’s mind.”
LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochman, meanwhile, proclaimed: “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.”
Beloved filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife Michele were found dead in their home in Brentwood, Los Angeles on December 14.
Their son Nick, 32, was subsequently arrested and charged with the double murder.
In a statement at the time, the LAPD said: “As a result of the initial investigation, it was determined that the Reiners were the victims of homicide.”
There was no sign of forced entry at the Reiners’ sprawling home on Chadbourne Avenue in Brentwood, and the couple reportedly had injuries consistent with being stabbed. TMZ reported that the couple’s throats were “slit” following an argument at the home.
Nick and his father got into an argument at a party at Conan O’Brien’s home the previous night, family friends told the Los Angeles Times. The same friends further said that several people had noticed that Nick was acting strangely at the party.
Rob and Michele were found dead at their home the next day.
Nick, who has been open about his struggles with addiction, co-wrote the 2015 film “Being Charlie.” The movie, directed by his father, was inspired by his own experiences with drug addiction, rehab, and homelessness.
“I was homeless in Maine. I was homeless in New Jersey. I was homeless in Texas,” Nick said at the time. “I spent nights on the street. I spent weeks on the street. It was not fun.”
After he got sober, he told People in 2016: “I’ve been home for a really long time, and I’ve sort of gotten acclimated back to being in L.A. and being around my family.”
Tracy Reiner, the biological daughter of Rob’s ex-wife Penny Marshall whom he adopted, told NBC News that she was in “shock” after hearing about their deaths.
“I came from the greatest family ever,” she told the outlet. “I don’t know what to say, I’m in shock.”
Bookmark popover
Removed from bookmarks