Nick Reiner’s Lawyer Exits Case, Declares Him ‘Not Guilty’

Nick Reiner was not arraigned as scheduled on Wednesday after his lead attorney withdrew from the case. High-profile defense lawyer Alan Jackson stepped aside from Reiner’s murder case, and the court approved the appointment of Los Angeles County public defender Kimberly Greene, a veteran attorney with nearly 20 years of experience. The judge rescheduled Reiner’s arraignment for Feb. 23. When briefly asked by the court about the change, Reiner responded, “Uh, yeah, I agree with that.”

According to The New York Times, the unexpected shift in legal representation “may suggest that the Reiner family—Nick has two siblings—has distanced itself from Mr. Reiner and his legal case, at least financially.” In a statement to the newspaper, the family declined to elaborate, saying only, “They have the utmost trust in the legal process and will not comment further on matters related to the legal proceedings.”

Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Jackson said circumstances beyond his control led to his withdrawal. Jackson, whose past clients include Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, and Karen Read, emphasized his belief in Reiner’s innocence. “Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder,” he said. “Print that.”

Reiner remains in custody without bail in connection with the alleged Dec. 16 killings of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner. This story has been updated to include Jackson’s comments.