Featured Image Credit: Apu Gomes/Getty/Kevin Winter/GA/Getty
Topics: Crime, Los Angeles, Rob Reiner, US News
Callum Jones
Topics: Crime, Los Angeles, Rob Reiner, US News
The lawyer for Nick Reiner has spoken out after deciding to withdraw from the murder case.
Nick, the son of Rob and Michele Reiner, is accused of stabbing them to death and was charged with first-degree murder after his parents were found deceased in the bedroom of their home in Brentwood, Los Angeles last month.
Reiner appeared in court on Wednesday (January 7) as part of a hearing at the Los Angeles Superior Court, where he waived his rights to enter a plea for the crimes he's accused of.
During the hearing, it was announced Nick's legal representation, Alan Jackson, had opted to remove himself from defending him.
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Speaking to press on Wednesday outside court, Jackson said: "Circumstances beyond my control, but more importantly circumstances beyond Nick's control, have made it impossible for us to continue our representation.
"I'm legally and ethically prohibited from explaining the reasons why."
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It remains unclear why Jackson, who has previously represented Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey, is no longer representing Reiner.
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Despite no longer representing him, the lawyer said that Nick is not guilty of murder.
However, LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochman, said the complete opposite in court.
"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," the prosecutor said.
As Reiner's representative has changed, Judge Theresa McGonigle decided to reschedule the suspect's arraignment for February 23 and Nick has since been assigned Kimberly Greene, a lawyer in the public defender’s office.
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A spokesperson for the Reiner family said in a statement: "They have the utmost trust in the legal process and will not comment further on matters related to the legal proceedings."
If Reiner is convicted of the crimes he's accused of, he could face severe punishment such as life imprisonment or even the death penalty.
However, it's highly unlikely Reiner would face the death penalty, given California Governor Gavin Newsom’s thoughts on such capital punishment, which has left it suspended in the state.
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Ricardo D. Garcia, the L.A. County Public Defender, said that his office ‘recognizes what an unimaginable tragedy this is for the Reiner family and the Los Angeles community’.
The statement continued: "Our hearts go out to the Reiner family as they navigate this difficult time. We ask for your patience and compassion as the case moves through the legal process, as these matters are complicated and require careful consideration."