FILE - Nick Reiner appears during his arraignment on murder charges for the deaths of his parents, Feb. 23, 2026, in Los Angeles. (Chris Torres/Pool Photo via AP, file)
Hollywood filmmaker Rob Reiner‘s son, Nick Reiner, will not face the death penalty on charges of fatally stabbing his parents in Los Angeles late last year. Prosecutors shared the update in the case on Tuesday (Sept. 15), per the Associated Press.
Nick Reiner was charged with first-degree murder on Dec. 16, two days after the stunning killings. If convicted, the maximum sentence 33-year-old Nick Reiner could get is life without the possibility of parole, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said at a news conference. Before reaching its decision, Hochman said his office did a thorough review. The review included speaking to Rob and Michele Singer Reiner‘s families and evaluating mitigating factors in Nick Reiner’s favor.
Nick Reiner briefly appeared at a court hearing on Tuesday morning. He has twice pleaded not guilty. The death penalty had been on the table because of the lying-in-wait allegation, the fact that multiple people were killed, and the use of a knife, which is considered a dangerous weapon. However, it’s been two decades since California’s last execution. Also, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a moratorium on the practice in 2019.
Los Angeles DA Hochman has already said he does not expect a trial until next year.
Reiner’s attorney, Deputy Public Defender Kimberly Greene, said prosecutors made the right decision.
“Nick has a serious mental illness and a long history of struggling with self-medication. His circumstances are a tragic example of how difficult it can be for people experiencing significant mental health challenges to access and navigate the treatment and support they need,” Greene said in a statement. “Nothing can undo the profound loss experienced by the Reiner family and those who loved them. Our hearts remain with the family.”
Reiner’s former defense attorney, Alan Jackson, adamantly insisted that “pursuant to the laws of California, Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder.” Jackson had to withdraw for undisclosed reasons, he said, which were beyond his and the client’s control. So, a public defender took over for him.
A grand jury indicted Reiner in July. The judge in the case was deciding whether to make the transcripts of those secret grand jury proceedings public. If done, it would likely reveal many key details about the killings.
Los Angeles DA Hochman said his office will not oppose the release of the transcripts. However, Nick Reiner’s siblings, Jake and Romi Reiner, were adamantly opposed, saying it would add to their trauma and harm. At Tuesday’s hearing, Judge Sam Ohta said he will hear arguments on the issue next month.
Nick Reiner was the second of Rob and Michele Reiner’s three children. He and his father co-wrote the script for the 2015 film ‘Being Charlie.’ It was partly based on the son’s teenage struggles with addiction and homelessness. Rob and Michele were married for 36 years at the time of their deaths.
Reiner has asked a different judge to order the release of funds from a trust his parents set up for him as a child. He’s seeking to rehire Attorney Jackson, a high-profile defense attorney whose clients have included Kevin Spacey and Karen Read.
However, the trustees overseeing the funds argue Nick Reiner shouldn’t get them. Still, his lawyers argue that he is still innocent under the law and that the money would legally be his regardless of his parents’ deaths. Reiner is awaiting a ruling on the money. Jackson has said he wants to return to the case.
Rob Reiner received an emotional tribute at the Emmy Awards on Monday night. He won a posthumous Emmy for best guest actor in a comedy series for his role on ‘The Bear.’ Also, he was honored by his friend and ‘Bear’ co-star Jamie Lee Curtis.
“He was generous, kind and funny as hell, and a friend to all,” Curtis said. “And we all miss Rob and Michele and all those we lost this year.”
Associated Press Entertainment Writer Andrew Dalton via AP Newsroom.
