Nick Reiner may face death penalty; family views carry weight, not control: experts

Days after Rob and Michele Reiner had been discovered lifeless of their house in Brentwood, California, their son and suspected killer, Nick Reiner, appeared in court docket for the primary time after being charged with double murdering his mother and father.

Reiner, 32, appeared in court docket Wednesday carrying a blue suicide prevention vest. When a decide requested if Reiner waived his rights, Nick mentioned, “Sure, your honor.” His arraignment is scheduled for January 7.

A day earlier, Los Angeles County District Lawyer Nathan Hochman introduced the fees Tuesday throughout a information convention with LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell.

“This indictment will include two counts of first-degree homicide, with the particular circumstance of a number of murders,” Hochman mentioned. “He additionally faces a particular allegation that he personally used a harmful and lethal weapon, a knife. These prices carry a most penalty of life in jail with out the potential of parole or the loss of life penalty.”

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Nick Reiner appeared in court docket for the primary time after being charged with the double homicide of his mother and father, Rob and Michele Reiner. (Getty Photos)

Nonetheless, if the loss of life penalty is pursued, Nick wouldn’t be executed because of the moratorium imposed by California Governor Gavin Newsom in 2019.

Though the chief order didn’t repeal the loss of life penalty in California, all executions have been halted indefinitely, says Oakland prison protection lawyer. Jo-Anna Nieves advised Fox Information Digital.

“The chief order issued by Gavin Newsom halted executions, closed the execution chamber at San Quentin and paused deadly injection protocols, but it surely didn’t repeal the loss of life penalty or invalidate loss of life sentences imposed by courts,” Nieves mentioned. “California nonetheless has the loss of life penalty on the books, and prosecutors are legally allowed to hunt it in eligible circumstances.”

“As a sensible matter, even when prosecutors had been to pursue the loss of life penalty towards Nick Reiner and acquire a conviction and loss of life sentence, there can be no execution underneath the present moratorium,” she added. “The ruling would have authorized standing, however its enforcement would stay suspended except the moratorium is lifted by a future governor or the regulation is modified by laws or voter motion.”

Sketch of Nick Reiner carrying a blue suicide prevention vest in Superior Courtroom in Los Angeles on Wednesday, December 17, 2025. (Mona Edwards)

Nonetheless, the moratorium may very well be lifted as soon as a brand new governor is elected in 2026.

Throughout Tuesday’s press convention, Hochman additionally advised reporters that they’ll “think about the household’s ideas and needs” on the subject of Reiner’s sentencing.

“In California, it’s routine for prosecutors to contemplate the ‘ideas and needs’ of a sufferer’s household at this stage. Beneath California’s Victims’ Invoice of Rights, generally generally known as Marsy’s Regulation, victims and their households have the precise to be heard and to seek the advice of with prosecutors on charging and sentencing choices. That mentioned, their views are certainly one of many components, together with the power of the proof, aggravating and mitigating circumstances, and broader coverage issues.’

Nieves mentioned the household’s enter is “significant” however “not controlling.”

Nick Reiner was charged Tuesday within the deaths of his mother and father, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner. (Getty Photos)

“California regulation provides victims and their households the precise to precise their opinions, file influence statements and take part in essential phases of the trial, however the final choice on charging, and any choice to hunt the loss of life penalty, rests solely with the prosecutor,” she mentioned. “Courts have been clear that prosecutors can not base a loss of life penalty choice solely on a household’s needs. Whereas Marsy’s Regulation ensures that households are heard and regarded, sentencing outcomes should nonetheless be primarily based on authorized standards and constitutional necessities.”

On Wednesday, Rob and Michele’s youngsters, Jake and Romy Reiner, opened up in regards to the “unimaginable ache” the 2 skilled following the loss of life of their mother and father.

“Phrases can not even start to explain the unimaginable ache we expertise each second of day by day,” mentioned a press release to Fox Information Digital. “The horrific and devastating lack of our mother and father, Rob and Michele Reiner, is one thing nobody ought to ever should expertise. They weren’t simply our mother and father; they had been our greatest associates.”

“We’re grateful for the outpouring of condolences, kindness and assist now we have obtained not solely from household and associates, however from folks from all walks of life.”

On Wednesday, Rob and Michele’s youngsters, Jake and Romy Reiner, opened up in regards to the “unimaginable ache” the 2 skilled following the loss of life of their mother and father. (Michael Buckner/Selection by way of Getty Photos)

“We ask now for respect and privateness, for hypothesis to be tempered with compassion and humanity, and for our mother and father to be remembered for the unbelievable lives they led and the love they gave.”

Shortly after Nick’s look in court docket, his lawyer, Alan Jackson, admitted that there have been a bunch of issues within the case towards his consumer.

“Before everything, this can be a devastating tragedy that has befallen the US Reiner household” Jackson mentioned Wednesday whereas addressing the media.

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“All of us acknowledge that, our hearts exit to the whole Reiner household. There are very, very advanced and critical points associated to this case that should be completely however very fastidiously addressed, investigated and analyzed.”

On Sunday, Nick was arrested on suspicion of murdering his mother and fatherwho had been discovered lifeless of their BrentwoodCalifornia, at house simply hours after having a verbal altercation with their son at Conan O’Brien’s Christmas occasion the night time earlier than. Nick was situated and brought into custody close to the College of Southern California campus at roughly 9:15 p.m.

Flowers cowl the Stroll of Fame star for Rob Reiner on Monday, December 15, 2025 within the Hollywood part of Los Angeles. (Damian Dovarganes/AP Photograph)

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The 32-year-old was initially given a $4 million bail, however information now present that is the case held with out bail. He was taken to Twin Towers Correctional Facility on Monday, in keeping with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Division.

The night time earlier than the murders, household associates of the Reiners advised the newspaper Los Angeles Times that Nick acquired right into a struggle along with his mother and father at O’Brien’s Christmas occasion. Many individuals seen that Nick was appearing unusually, in keeping with the outlet.

“Nick scared everybody, acted loopy and stored asking folks in the event that they had been well-known,” a supply additionally mentioned People journal.

Nick Reiner, the 32-year-old son of Rob and Michele Reiner, had a historical past of dependancy and violent outbursts earlier than his mother and father’ deaths. (Getty Photos; Jake Reiner Fb)

Per TMZAfter Rob and Nick acquired right into a “very loud argument,” the director and Michele left the occasion.

Nick additionally reportedly acquired right into a struggle with comic and actor Invoice Hader on the identical occasion. A consultant for Hader had no remark when reached by Fox Information Digital.

Nick has had his share of fights through the years. In an interview with Fox Information Digital, Nick’s childhood yoga teacher recalled an depth about him, noting that he was “simply very, very intense, very hyperactive.”

Alanna Zabel, who wrote the guide “A Chair within the Air” impressed by Nick, first began working with Michele, and ultimately “she began discussing how a lot power [Nick] had and the way disruptive he was.”

And he or she recommended, ‘What in case you did yoga alone with him?’ And I mentioned, ‘Positive.’ Proper, so I began making personal recordings with Nicky and that is how the guide was born,” Zabel mentioned. “So it was my very first youngsters’s guide, and naturally it’s kind of ironic and prophetic right this moment. You understand, I used to be trying again at it this week and, you already know, crying.”

“Like, particularly the web page the place he is on the horse after which [magical guide] Mahini Yogini guides him somewhat by saying, ‘Pay attention, your power is a present, your zipper is a present, it is simply: how are you going to decide on to make use of it? And there is a path to happiness and there is a path to unhappiness, and it is simply, you already know, realizing the place we’re proper now, it is simply devastating.

When requested if she realized that Nick wanted a distinct sort of assist apart from yoga, Zabel mentioned: “A whole lot of this I referred to Michele and Rob, you already know, we had been making good progress. You understand he did the category. He did not insurgent towards it. So it wasn’t one thing – and I wasn’t the one particular person or a therapist or a part of a remedy program. This was simply one thing that we might do on the facet to see if it labored. So we thought it was optimistic and there simply got here some extent the place we stopped. If I doing it, I actually suppose Nicky was uninterested in it.”

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Based on buddy and cameraman Barry Markowitz, the Reiners’ lives had been “enterprise as ordinary” for weeks earlier than the brutal murders.

Markowitz, who cooperated Rob and Nick on “Being Charlie,” stayed with the couple in late November whereas they had been on the town for a film premiere.

‘Romy was out and in [of the house] and at dinnertime she comes over and we’re all collectively,” Markowitz advised Web page Six.[We would] yelling on the TV, we watched a film and a basketball sport. Performed with the canine. Household time. One large love feast.”

Nick was charged with double homicide on Tuesday. (Michael Buckner/Getty Photos for Teen Vogue)

Based on Markowitz, Nick “appeared to be on the rise.”

“He seemed nice. He was speaking to the household,” Markowitz mentioned. “They eat collectively, old style, and plenty of love, at all times a lot of love.”

The cameraman claimed he noticed “nothing unusual” between them Nick and the Reiners throughout his five-night keep.

“He helped out, he took out the trash, he watched TV, he washed the dishes,” he remembers. ‘He introduced me one thing to drink. In that sense he was simply regular.’

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Nick’s arraignment is scheduled for January 7.

“Irrespective of the way you have a look at it, this case is a tragedy,” the San Diego prison protection lawyer mentioned David P. Shapiro advised Fox Information Digital. “Two people seem to have been brutally murdered. Primarily a 3rd life may very well be misplaced if Nick Reiner is convicted and spends the remainder of his life in jail. The household’s grief should be monumental.”

Larry Fink of Fox Information Digital contributed to this report