The younger son of acclaimed filmmaker and actor Rob Reiner is scheduled to appear in a Los Angeles courtroom on Wednesday to formally respond to charges accusing him of killing both of his parents in a high-profile case that has stunned the entertainment industry.
Nick Reiner, 32, is expected to enter a not-guilty plea to two counts of first-degree murder related to the deaths of Rob Reiner, 78, and his wife, Michele Reiner, 70. The couple were found fatally stabbed inside their West Los Angeles home on December 14, with prosecutors alleging the killings occurred earlier that morning.
An earlier arraignment planned for mid-December was postponed at the defense’s request, with the court granting a three-week delay.
Prosecutors allege the couple died from multiple stab wounds. If convicted, Nick Reiner could face life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. The death penalty is also an option under California law, though state officials have not carried out an execution in nearly two decades, and a statewide moratorium remains in place.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman has said no final decision has been made on whether prosecutors will pursue capital punishment.
Authorities have released few specifics about what led to the killings. Public records indicate that Nick Reiner was arrested several hours after the discovery of the bodies, near a downtown Los Angeles park.
Media reports have indicated that a dispute occurred the night before the killings while the family attended a holiday gathering. Nick Reiner had been living in a guesthouse on the family’s property at the time of the incident.
Nick Reiner has previously spoken publicly about long-term struggles with substance abuse and periods of homelessness. Those experiences later inspired a 2015 dramatic film, Being Charlie, which was directed by his father and co-written by the two.
He is the younger of two sons and one of three children from Rob and Michele Reiner’s marriage, which began in 1989.
The deaths prompted widespread reaction across Hollywood and political circles. Rob Reiner had a decades-long career spanning television and film, first gaining national recognition as an actor on the sitcom All in the Family before becoming a prominent director of widely known films including The Princess Bride, Stand by Me, Misery, A Few Good Men and When Harry Met Sally….
His most recent work, a sequel to the mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap, was released earlier this year.
Michele Reiner was a producer and photographer whose work included the image used on the cover of Donald Trump’s book The Art of the Deal. She met Rob Reiner during the production of When Harry Met Sally….
Nick Reiner’s attorney, Alan Jackson, previously told the court that the case involves complex issues requiring careful examination, without elaborating publicly on the reasons for delaying the initial hearing.
The case remains under investigation as it moves forward in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
