Nick Reiner pleads not guilty to murder in the killing of his parents

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Nick Reiner, the 32-year-old son of Hollywood luminary Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Singer Reiner, pleaded not guilty Monday to two counts of first-degree murder more than two months after their deaths, denying for the first time that he fatally stabbed his parents. 

Nick Reiner’s new lawyer, Kimberly Greene, entered the plea on his behalf as he stood behind glass in a custody area of a packed Los Angeles courtroom.

The third of Rob Reiner’s four children, Nick Reiner has been held without bail since his arrest hours after the actor-director and his wife of 36 years were found dead on Dec. 14 at their home in the upscale Brentwood section of Los Angeles.

Reiner appeared in court in an enclosed custody area, with a shaved head and light facial hair, and wearing brown jail clothes. He talked to his lawyer briefly through the glass before the judge began the brief hearing. At one point, a low door in the enclosure was opened and they crouched down and spoke face to face. During the hearing, he spoke only to answer yes when the judge asked if he waived his right for next steps of the case to proceed speedily.

Reiner was not wearing the suicide prevention smock he wore in his initial court appearance in December. It was the third time he had been set to enter a plea, but issues surrounding the high-stakes, closely watched case, including a surprising change in defence lawyers, kept it from happening until Monday.

Reiner appears with his lawyer, Kimberly Greene, during his arraignment. (Chris Torres-Pool/Getty Images)

The judge told Reiner to return to court on April 29 for the scheduling of a preliminary hearing, where prosecutors will present evidence and a new judge will decide if it’s enough for Reiner to go to trial.

The case will now be handled by longtime Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Sam Ohta. He has had many prominent murder, manslaughter and public corruption cases in his courtroom in recent years, but none have drawn the national media attention this case has.

District attorney Nathan Hochman said outside court that his office still hasn’t decided whether it will seek the death penalty for Reiner. Hochman said the death penalty decision “goes through a very rigorous process. We will be looking at all aggravating and mitigating circumstances.”

Reiner’s not guilty plea is common for criminal defendants at this stage of the case, whatever their longer-term plan might be. His appearance Monday came after two previous court hearings that brought some drama but little practical progress in the case.

Reiner’s previous attorney, the high-profile private lawyer Alan Jackson, had to quit the case at a previous hearing in January because of what he called circumstances beyond his and his client’s control.

He said legal ethics would not allow him to say why, but in parting, he adamantly declared outside the courthouse that “pursuant to the laws of California, Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder,” a stance made official by Reiner’s plea Monday. 

WATCH | Filmmaker Rob Reiner dead at 78 :

Hollywood legend Rob Reiner dead at 78

Rob Reiner, the esteemed Hollywood director, was found dead along with wife Michele Reiner in their Los Angeles home. Their son Nick is in police custody in connection with their deaths. CBC’s Griffin Jaeger breaks down the legacy of the 78-year-old director and his impact on the film industry.

Authorities have said nothing about possible motives, and leaks in the case have been virtually nonexistent on both sides, leaving some of the most basic questions about the killing unanswered publicly.

Jackson did not elaborate, but he said the conclusion came after weeks of intensive investigation before his team had to hand the case off. He said he wanted to push back against false reporting on the case.

It’s not clear who hired Jackson to represent Reiner or who was paying the bill. Generally, defendants use public defenders when they can’t afford a private lawyer.

Deputy district attorney Habib Balian said his office is still awaiting a full autopsy report in the case, but all other evidence has been turned over to the defence.

Rob Reiner, 78, and Michele Singer Reiner, 70, died from “multiple sharp force injuries,” the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner said in initial findings. Authorities said they were killed hours before the bodies were discovered. A court order has prevented the release of more details. Authorities have said nothing about possible motives.

Rob Reiner was a prolific director whose work included some of the most memorable and endlessly watchable movies of the 1980s and ’90s. His credits included This is Spinal Tap, Stand By Me, A Few Good Men and When Harry Met Sally…, during whose production he met photographer Michele Singer. They wed soon after and were married for 36 years.