Nick Reiner pleaded not guilty Monday to charges that he murdered his parents Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, setting up a defense likely to hinge on the 32-year-old’s mental state during the killings and his fitness to stand trial.
Wearing a brown prison jumpsuit, Reiner entered his plea in a downtown Los Angeles courthouse with a large media presence, speaking only in the affirmative when asked questions by the judge.
Reiner is charged with two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances, and could face capital punishment or life in prison without parole. Prosecutors have not yet decided whether they will seek the death penalty.
Authorities were quick to accuse Reiner of stabbing his 78-year-old father and 70-year-old mother after they were found dead in their Brentwood home on Dec. 14. He was arrested near a gas station later that night after checking in at a hotel in Santa Monica.
Reiner initially retained high-profile defense attorney Alan Jackson, who abruptly withdrew on Jan. 7, turning the case over to the Public Defenders’ Office. But Jackson said shortly after that his former client is not guilty of murdering his parents.
“In fact, we know, we’re not just convinced, we know that the legal process will reveal the true facts of the circumstances surrounding Nick’s case,” he continued. “What we’ve learned, and you can take this to the bank, is that, pursuant to the law in California, Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder.”
Reiner’s public defenders have not indicated whether they will pursue an insanity defense which, if successful, would likely institutionalize him for life. Reiner’s history of drug abuse and mental health issues will assuredly play a role; he had been treated for psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia, and it was reported that his medication regimen had recently been changed.
An April 29 hearing was set to determine whether prosecutors have enough evidence to proceed to trial, which may not take place for a year or more.
