A routine court hearing in Los Angeles took a sharp turn Wednesday when the son of famed filmmaker Rob Reiner appeared before a judge and abruptly lost his high-profile legal representation.
According to the New York Post, Nick Reiner, 32, showed little outward reaction as his attorney, powerhouse defense lawyer Alan Jackson, announced he was withdrawing from the case.
Jackson told the court he had “no choice” but to step aside, offering no explanation for the sudden decision.
Reiner stood in Los Angeles Superior Court wearing a brown jail-issued jumpsuit over a white T-shirt, his wrists and ankles shackled. He spoke only once during the brief hearing, responding when Judge Theresa McGonigle asked whether he agreed to the next scheduled court date.
“Yeah, I agree to that,” Reiner said.
Multiple attorneys accompanied Reiner into the courtroom, including Jackson, whose recent representation of Karen Read in a high-profile murder case drew national attention. But moments later, Jackson confirmed that he and his firm would no longer represent the accused.
Public defender Kimberly Greene was appointed to take over Reiner’s defense.
Before proceedings began, Reiner appeared calm as he spoke quietly with his legal team. The group then entered the judge’s private chambers for a short, closed-door discussion lasting about three minutes.
While his attorneys were out of the courtroom, Reiner briefly smirked before fixing his gaze straight ahead.
The hearing had originally been set for Reiner to enter a plea on two counts of first-degree murder. That step was postponed following Jackson’s withdrawal.
Reiner is accused of killing his parents, director Rob Reiner, 78, and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, 70, inside their Brentwood home in December. Authorities allege the attack occurred just hours after the family attended a holiday party hosted by Conan O’Brien.
Sources previously told The Post that Reiner argued with his parents at the party, possibly over concerns that he had relapsed and was refusing to return to rehab. Reiner has reportedly undergone 17 stints in treatment for substance abuse.
Prosecutors say he fled after the alleged killings and was arrested several hours later roughly 15 minutes from the home, which includes a guesthouse where he had been living.
The grim discovery was made by Reiner’s sister, Romy, who went to check on her parents after a massage therapist received no response at the gate, according to The New York Times.
LAPD records show police had been called to the residence multiple times over the years for welfare checks, mental health issues, and family violence.
The district attorney has not yet said whether the state will seek the death penalty in the case. California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order halting capital punishment in 2019, though questions remain about the policy’s future once his term ends in 2027.
