What's Next for Nick Reiner After He Pleaded 'Not Guilty' to Rob and Michelle Murders?

On Feb. 23, Nick Reiner, 32, wearing jail attire, stood behind a glass enclosure in a Los Angeles courtroom as a not guilty plea was formally entered on his behalf in connection with the deaths of his parents, director Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner.

An arraignment in California does not constitute a trial but serves as the initial formal proceeding, during which charges are presented and a plea is entered. Typically, this process involves minimal disclosure of case details in open court.

Rob Reiner, 78, and Michele Singer Reiner, 70, were found dead at their home in Brentwood — an affluent pocket on LA's Westside — on Dec. 14. Prosecutors allege their son fatally stabbed them in the early morning hours, and he was arrested later that day.

The Lawyer Shuffle

The Rob Reiner case has already taken a grim and familiar turn, as the defense team changed before the public fully comprehended the basic timeline. Nick Reiner was initially represented by Alan Jackson, a renowned private attorney, but Jackson withdrew in January for reasons he did not publicly disclose.

Outside court, Jackson delivered a line that sounded less like legal argument than a provocation to the wider audience. 'Pursuant to the laws of this state, pursuant to the law in California, Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder.' He even added, 'Print that.'​​

Since then, Reiner has been represented by Deputy Public Defender Kimberly Greene, who entered the not guilty pleas to two counts of first-degree murder. During Monday's hearing, Reiner spoke only briefly, saying 'yes' to routine questions — among them that he understood he was waiving his right to a speedy trial.

Death Penalty Questions Linger

The Rob Reiner case is death-penalty eligible. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman has not made a final decision on whether prosecutors will seek capital punishment, but he has been explicit that the option is being weighed through what he called a 'very rigorous process.'

Hochman stated that prosecutors will thoroughly examine all 'aggravating and mitigating circumstances,' and that his office has extended an invitation to defense counsel to present their submissions prior to making a final decision. This is significant because California has the death penalty in its legal framework, but its application is infrequent and politically contentious — and Hochman has already indicated a readiness to consider it in exceptionally grave cases.

Medical evidence, meanwhile, still is not neatly wrapped. Officials have said Rob and Michele Reiner died from 'multiple sharp force injuries,' but reporting indicates attorneys are still waiting on further coroner documentation as the case advances.

Then there is the family fracture that no court filing can quite capture. Nick Reiner's siblings, Jake and Romy, issued a statement in the days after the killings, 'Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day. The horrific and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something that no one should ever experience.' And now, according to TMZ, they are no longer paying for their brother's legal defense — one source summarizing their stance with brutal clarity, 'Nick's defense is Nick's defense. They're not involved.'

Reiner's next court appearance is scheduled for April 29, when the case is anticipated to progress toward the scheduling of a preliminary hearing. During this hearing, a judge will determine whether the prosecution has sufficient evidence to proceed to trial.