Nick Reiner pleaded not guilty Monday to two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner. Deputy Public Defender Kimberly Greene entered the plea on his behalf as he stood behind glass in a crowded Los Angeles courtroom.
The hearing comes two months after authorities discovered the couple dead from stab wounds at their Brentwood home. Nick Reiner, 32, the third of Rob Reiner’s four children, was arrested shortly after the discovery and has been held without bail since. Most defendants in criminal cases enter a not guilty plea at this stage, regardless of their long-term legal strategy, according to the AP.
Reiner’s former attorney, prominent lawyer Alan Jackson, withdrew from the case at a January hearing due to circumstances he described as beyond his and his client’s control. Jackson did not provide specifics, citing legal ethics, but told reporters outside the courthouse that “pursuant to the laws of California, Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder.”
At his first court appearance in December, Reiner wore a suicide prevention smock, though he appeared without it at the January hearing. On Monday, he wore a brown jail uniform and spoke only when addressed by the judge. His next court date is scheduled for April 29.