The legal case following the shocking deaths of Hollywood director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, took a dramatic turn Tuesday when their son, Nick Reiner, retained high-profile defense attorney Alan Jackson.
According to PEOPLE, Jackson, recognized for representing well-known clients including Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, and Karen Read, confirmed outside Los Angeles Superior Court that he would be taking on Reiner’s defense.
Nick, 32, did not appear in court Tuesday for his first scheduled appearance, with Jackson telling reporters that his client had not been medically cleared to be transported.
Reiner faces murder charges in connection with the Dec. 14 deaths of his parents, Rob, 78, and Michele, 70, who were found in their Brentwood home by their daughter Romy, 28.
Hours after their bodies were discovered, police arrested Nick near the University of Southern California campus. He is currently being held without bail at the Men’s Central Jail in Los Angeles.
Jackson, a partner at Werksman Jackson & Quinn LLP, has built a career defending high-profile clients. He successfully secured an acquittal for Karen Read in a murder case, represented Kevin Spacey in Massachusetts, where the case was dismissed after the accuser withdrew a civil complaint, and was part of Harvey Weinstein’s defense team during his California criminal trial.
Jackson also previously prosecuted Phil Spector for murdering actress Lana Clarkson and ran unsuccessfully for Los Angeles District Attorney in 2012.
Nick’s troubled history has drawn attention amid the investigation. The younger Reiner has battled long-term substance abuse, attending rehab 18 times and enduring extended periods of homelessness.
His struggles partly inspired the semi-autobiographical 2015 film Being Charlie, which he co-wrote with his father.
A 2018 podcast appearance revealed a continued pattern of instability, including a drug-fueled incident in which he damaged his parents’ guesthouse.
The night before the fatal stabbings, Nick reportedly clashed with Rob at Conan O’Brien’s Christmas party, an altercation described as “big” and “loud,” and behavior sources said was alarming to others in attendance.
Rob Reiner, son of comedy legend Carl Reiner, rose to fame as Mike “Meathead” Stivic on All in the Family and later became a celebrated director with hits including This Is Spinal Tap, Stand by Me, The Princess Bride, and A Few Good Men.
He and Michele married after meeting on the set of When Harry Met Sally… (1989) and had three children together, including Nick, Romy, and older son Jake. Rob was also the adoptive father of Tracy Reiner, daughter of his first wife, Penny Marshall.
