Nick Reiner's arraignment pushed back after judge approves attorney's exit from case

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: A Los Angeles judge on Wednesday, January 7, delayed the arraignment of Nick Reiner, who is charged with the killings of his parents, filmmaker Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Singer Reiner, after his defense attorney requested to withdraw from the case.

The hearing had been scheduled for Reiner to formally enter a plea on two counts of first-degree murder.

Instead, the court approved a change in legal representation and set a new arraignment date for late February. Reiner has been held without bail since his arrest in December last year.

Defense attorney withdraws as court delays arraignment 

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Theresa McGonigle agreed to a request from Alan Jackson, a high-profile defense attorney, to be relieved from representing Nick Reiner.

Jackson did not publicly state the reason for his withdrawal. “We feel that we have no choice at this juncture but to withdraw as counsel and ask to be relieved,” Jackson told the court, adding that the decision was made with Reiner’s understanding and consent.

The judge postponed the arraignment until February 23 and appointed Deputy Public Defender Kimberly Greene to represent Reiner going forward.

Jackson informed the court that there were 10 outstanding subpoenas tied to the defense’s investigation.

Judge McGonigle ordered the list sealed and ruled that it did not yet need to be shared with prosecutors.

Reiner, 32, appeared briefly in court wearing brown jail clothing, with his head shaved.

Cameras were permitted inside the courtroom, though the judge barred photographs of the defendant. Reiner did not enter a plea during the hearing.

Reiner has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder, with special circumstance allegations including multiple victims and the use of a deadly weapon, a knife.

Prosecutors have not yet said whether they will seek the death penalty.

California currently has a moratorium on capital punishment under an executive order signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2019.

The prosecution is being led by Deputy District Attorney Habib Balian, whose prior cases include the resentencing proceedings involving the Menendez brothers and the prosecution of Robert Durst.

Investigation continues into the killings of Rob and Michele Reiner 

Authorities say Rob Reiner, 78, and Michele Singer Reiner, 70, were killed in the early morning hours of December 14 at their home in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles.

The couple was discovered later that afternoon. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner said in initial findings that both victims died from “multiple sharp force injuries,” but has released no further details.

Police have not publicly identified a motive.

Nick Reiner was arrested without incident several hours after the bodies were discovered and was formally charged two days later.

He has remained in custody since his arrest. At an initial court appearance on December 17, Reiner did not enter a plea and appeared wearing a life-ending prevention smock. 

A spokesperson for the Reiner family said in a statement released after the initial court proceedings that the family “has the utmost trust in the legal process and will not comment further on matters related to the legal proceedings.”