Nick Reiner won’t face the death penalty when he stands trial for killing his parents, beloved Hollywood icons Rob and Michele Reiner, Los Angeles County’s top prosecutor said Tuesday morning.
Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman said the decision followed a “rigorous review” that included discussions with the Reiner family about their desired outcomes in the case.
Reiner, 32, was arrested last December and charged with stabbing his parents inside their Brentwood home in the middle of the night on Dec. 14. Nick was arrested in Exposition Park about 12 hours after his sister, Romy, discovered the bodies, police have said.
A grand jury indicted Reiner on murder charges last month and upheld an allegation that he “lay in wait” to ambush his parents. The grand jury transcripts have not been made public and prosecutors have offered little information about a possible motive in the crime.
Reiner, who maintains his innocence, had spoken publicly about his struggles with mental health and drug addiction.
The father and son worked together to create the 2015 film, “Being Charlie,” which explored how drugs could damage a relationship between a successful actor and his privileged son, who was in the throes of addiction.
The two main characters were barely veiled versions of Rob and Nick, who was living in the guesthouse at the time of the killings.
Best known for his work on iconic films “When Harry Met Sally … ,” “Stand By Me” and “This Is Spinal Tap,” Rob Reiner was a beloved actor and director. He met Michele on the set of “When Harry Met Sally…”, and famously changed the ending to have the central couple stay together after he fell in love with Michele during filming.
The couple had three children together and Rob also has a daughter from a previous marriage. Michele was a well-regarded photographer who also produced documentaries and podcasts. She received an Emmy nomination in 2023.
Hochman’s decision won’t change much in practice. Although voter initiatives to repeal the death penalty in California have repeatedly failed, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a moratorium on the use of capital punishment in the state in 2019 and ordered the dismantling of the execution chamber at San Quentin State Prison. Xaiver Becerra, who is heavily favored to win the governor’s race in November, said he will extend Newsom’s moratorium.
Hochman’s predecessor, George Gascón, had barred L.A. County prosecutors from seeking death verdicts, a policy Hochman wiped away when he took office in late 2024. He has yet to seek a death verdict in any case, saying he’d reserve such punishments for school shootings, domestic terror attacks or the “cold-blooded” killing of a police officer.
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