Nick Reiner briefly made his first court appearance Wednesday, a day after he was charged with fatally stabbing his parents, 78-year-old filmmaker Rob Reiner and 70-year-old photographer Michele Singer Reiner in a gruesome killing of two Hollywood icons.
The Reiners’ 32-year-old son attended the court hearing behind a glass wall, in shackles and a jail suicide-prevention smock. He did not enter a plea, as had been expected, the Associated Press reported. Instead, his arraignment was postponed to Jan. 7 while his lawyer emphasized the intricacies of the case.
“This is a devastating tragedy that has befallen the Reiner family. We all recognize that,” Nick’s attorney, Alan Jackson, said outside the courthouse following the hearing. “There are very, very complex and serious issues that are associated with this case. Those need to be thoroughly but very carefully dealt with.”
Jackson added a request, for people to “allow the system to move forward in the way that it was designed to move forward: not with a rush to judgment, not with jumping to conclusions, but with restraint, and with dignity, and with the respect that the system and its process deserves and that the family deserves.”
Nick Reiner, who has a long history of drug addiction and disputes with his parents, was arrested late Sunday by the Los Angeles Police Department, hours after authorities discovered their bodies at their Los Angeles home, and has been held in a county jail without bail.
Rob Reiner’s directing and acting career spanned decades. He earned two Emmy Awards for “All in the Family” and directed a run of indelible films, including “This Is Spinal Tap” in 1984, “When Harry Met Sally …” in 1989 and “The Princess Bride” in 1987.
“To be in his hands as a filmmaker was a privilege but that is only part of his legacy,” some of the Reiners’ close friends, including Martin Short, Billy Crystal and Janice Crystal, said in a statement to the Associated Press. “Rob was also a passionate, brave citizen, who not only cared for this country he loved, he did everything he could to make it better and with his loving wife Michele, he had the perfect partner.”
Michele Singer Reiner worked as a photographer in the late 1980s, photographing Donald Trump for the cover image of his 1987 book “The Art of the Deal.” She met Rob on the New York set of “When Harry Met Sally …” The couple had been married for 36 years and often collaborated on projects.
“Strong and determined, Michele and Rob Reiner devoted a great deal of their lives for the betterment of our fellow citizens… They were a special force together — dynamic, unselfish and inspiring. We were their friends, and we will miss them forever,” the statement from close friends continued.
Nick, the middle of three children the slain couple shared, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder Tuesday, which included special factors that could increase his sentence if he’s found guilty: multiple murders and use of a dangerous weapon, a knife. If convicted, the younger Reiner could face up to life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty. Prosecutors have not yet decided whether to seek the death penalty.
Nick Reiner has publicly spoken about his long history of substance abuse, rehabilitation efforts and rocky relationship with his parents. During a period of reconciliation, Nick and Rob collaborated on the semiautobiographical 2015 film “Being Charlie,” which depicted the title character living on the street. The father and son were reportedly arguing on Saturday night, hours before the killings, at a holiday party hosted by Conan O’Brien, during which Nick upset some guests with strange comments.
During a Tuesday news conference, LAPD deputy chief Alan Hamilton said Nick was arrested “without incident” or resistance in the Exposition Park area near the University of Southern California campus.
Authorities mostly declined to answer reporters’ questions about the specifics of the crime at that event, and said they are waiting for the coroner to determine the time of death. Hochman said while he doesn’t expect significant delays for the case, it will take time to consider the “robust” amount of discovery they will bring to court.
Emily Yahr, Sonia Rao, Ethan Beck, Amber Ferguson, Jada Yuan and Reis Thebault contributed to this report.
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