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By Hollie Silverman and Joshua Rhett Miller
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A judge in Los Angeles delayed Nick Reiner's arraignment in the murder of his parents, director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, after his attorney recused himself from the case.
Judge Theresa McGonigle approved a request by attorney Alan Jackson during a brief hearing on Wednesday. The judge rescheduled Reiner's arraignment for February 23.
Reiner, 32, appeared in Los Angeles Superior Court to be arraigned on two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances for allegedly stabbing his 78-year-old father and 70-year-old mother in their home in the city’s Brentwood section on December 14. He did not enter a plea during Wednesday's proceeding.
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Jackson, who has previously represented producer Harvey Weinstein and actor Kevin Spacey, did not specify on Wednesday why he no longer wanted to represent Reiner.
Newsweek reached out to Jackson by email on Tuesday for comment.
The Context
Reiner, who was arrested later on December 14 and remains held without bail, faces death or life in prison without possibility of parole if convicted.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said last month that prosecutors had yet to decide on whether to seek the death penalty in the shocking slayings of the beloved Hollywood actor-director and his wife, who worked as a photographer and producer.
Earlier this week, Reiner was removed from suicide watch at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles, a Los Angeles County sheriff's source told People magazine.
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What To Know
Judge McGonigle granted Jackson’s request to withdraw from defending Nick Reiner during a hearing on January 7, where Reiner had been expected to enter a plea. Jackson did not disclose reasons for his withdrawal.
The judge sealed a list of 10 outstanding subpoenas requested by the defense and ruled they did not yet need to be shared with prosecutors.
Cameras were permitted in the courtroom; however, the judge prohibited photographs of the defendant. Reiner appeared in brown jail attire, with shaved hair, and was not wearing a suicide-prevention smock, as seen at his first court appearance on December 17.
Sources told the Los Angeles Times that Rob and Nick Reiner argued the night before the slayings at a party hosted by Conan O'Brien, where guests said Nick behaved erratically. He had been living in a guesthouse on his parents' property, and Michele Reiner had become increasingly worried about his mental health, the newspaper reported.
Reiner had also been prescribed medication to treat schizophrenia prior to allegedly killing his parents, sources told the Los Angeles Times last month.
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Reiner, who wore shackles and a suicide-prevention smock during a brief court appearance on December 17, has previously spoken publicly about his struggles with addiction and homelessness.
In 2015, he co-wrote Being Charlie, a semi-autobiographical film directed by his father that examined the strain of his troubled youth and repeated stints in rehab.
Rob Reiner later praised the project during a 2016 interview, saying the "cathartic" and therapeutic experience only brought the pair closer together.
"The fact that we were dealing with, you know, things that Nick had gone through, and how I had related to it, and how his mother had related to it, it forced us to have to — it forced me — to have to see more clearly and understand more deeply what Nick had gone through," Reiner told the BUILD Series. "And I think it forced him to see things that I had experienced during this process."
Collaborating with his youngest son on the film, which portrays a Los Angeles teen mired in drug addiction, ultimately became the most rewarding partnership of his career, Reiner recalled.
"It definitely brought us closer together," he said. "It was, like, over the period of a year, it was intense, it was difficult at times, but it was also the most satisfying creative experience I've ever had."
How Did Rob Reiner Die?
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner announced that Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, died from “multiple sharp force injuries.”
Their bodies were discovered in the late afternoon of December 14 in their Brentwood residence. Officials have not provided further details on the circumstances or the weapon, other than the court documents’ reference to a knife being used in the commission of the crime.
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The killing of both spouses early in the morning, as described by authorities, and the subsequent timeframe prior to discovery, remain part of the ongoing investigation.
Police had responded to the couple's home seven times between August 2013 through December 2025, including twice on the day they were found dead, CBS News reported.
LAPD officers responded to the home for a welfare check in 2019, as well as for a mental health call for a male patient that year. The remaining three calls pertained to minor disturbances in 2013, 2014 and 2017, according to CBS News.
Who is Nick Reiner's Attorney?
Alan Jackson, a former Los Angeles County prosecutor known for representing high-profile clients such as Harvey Weinstein in Los Angeles and Karen Read in Massachusetts, was initially assigned as Nick Reiner’s defense counsel.
Jackson asked the court for permission to withdraw from the case on Wednesday, and Judge McGonigle consented. He did not state a reason for the withdrawal but noted ongoing defense investigations, including 10 outstanding subpoenas.
Following Jackson’s exit, the court assigned Deputy Public Defender Kimberly Greene to represent Nick Reiner for the remainder of the proceedings.
Do We Know Nick Reiner's Motive?
Authorities have not announced a possible motive in the killing of Rob and Michele Reiner. Police and prosecutors have not commented on any details regarding what may have led to the event.
About a decade prior, Nick Reiner publicly described struggles with addiction and mental health, notably through his work with his father on the film Being Charlie, which drew on their personal experiences.
There is no official confirmation that any mental health or addiction issues factored into the current case. As of the most recent updates, investigative findings on motive have not been made public.
What People Are Saying
Nathan Hochman, Los Angeles County District Attorney, told reporters last month: "Rob Reiner was one of the greatest filmmakers of his generation...His murder and his wife of more than 35 years, Michele Singer Reiner’s murder, are shocking and tragic. We owe it to their memory to pursue justice and accountability for the lives that were taken."
What Happens Next
Reiner’s arraignment has been rescheduled for February 23. He is being held in solitary confinement and is now required to wear a yellow jail-issued shirt and blue pants rather than the suicide-prevention smock he previously wore.
He will remain housed alone in a High Observation Housing Unit until a judge determines otherwise.
Update 1/7/26 1:10 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with more information.
Update 1/7/26 1:45 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with more information.
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