LOS ANGELES, Calif. \u2014\u00a0The murder case against Rob Reiner\u2019s disturbed son Nick Reiner was dramatically upended Wednesday when his high priced celebrity lawer Alan Jackson dropped his client \u2014 and left him with a public defender instead.<\/p>\n
Jackson told a judge that he had \u201cno choice\u201d but to withdraw as the attorney for the 32-year-old celebrity scion<\/a> \u2014 but claimed he was legally prohibited from publicly explaining why.<\/p>\n Despite this, he declared that\u00a0\u201cNick Reiner is not guilty of murder.\u201d<\/p>\n Nick Reiner was in a Los Angeles courtroom to answer to charges he slaughtered his beloved movie director dad Rob Reiner, and his mom Michele. REUTERS<\/p>\n Reiner wore a brown jumpsuit with a white t-shirt underneath, shackled at his wrists and ankles, to court on Wednesday. Mona Shafer Edwards \/ BACKGRID<\/p>\n Nick Reiner appears in court facing charges that he murdered his parents in Los Angeles on Wednesday in a courtroom sketch. via REUTERS<\/p>\n Reiner smirked and smiled in a Los Angeles Superior court \u2014 wearing a brown jumpsuit, with a white t-shirt underneath and shackled at his wrists and ankles. The jumpsuit was a different look than Reiner\u2019s last appearance where he wore a blue suicide smock.<\/p>\n He only addressed\u00a0Judge Theresa McGonigle\u00a0once when asked if he agreed to a next court date of Feb. 23.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, I agree to that,\u201d the wayward son said.<\/p>\n A group of Nick Reiner\u2019s lawyers, including Jackson, were in court with him.<\/p>\n But Jackson \u2014 who notably recently helped Karen Read clinch an acquittal <\/a>in the murder of her cop boyfriend \u2014 announced he and his firm would be withdrawing from the case.<\/p>\n Jackson said he was making the decision with Nick Reiner\u2019s \u201cunderstanding and consent.\u201d<\/p>\n Reiner smirked in court as his lawyer quit, with a public defender taking over. Getty Images for Wynn Las Vegas<\/p>\n Lawyer Alan Jackson, who notable most recently helped clinch an acquittal on murder charges for Karen Read, told a judge that he had \u201cno choice\u201d but to withdraw from representing Reiner. David Buchan for NY Post<\/p>\n \u201cWe feel that we have no choice at this juncture but to withdraw as counsel and ask to be relieved, \u201d the defense attorney said, announcing he and his firm would be withdrawing from the case. Eric Thayer\/Pool\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n \u201cWe feel that we have no choice at this juncture but to withdraw as counsel and ask to be relieved, \u201d the defense attorney said.<\/p>\n \u00a0Jackson said public defenders \u201care ready for the appointment immediately forthwith.\u201d<\/p>\n Jackson did not explain the reason for his withdrawal.<\/p>\n Kimberly Greene with the public defenders took over as Nick\u2019s lawyer.<\/p>\n Attorney Alan Jackson (right), addresses the court during an arraignment for Nick Reiner in Los Angeles on Wednesday. via REUTERS<\/p>\n Nick Reiner is accused of slashing his parents\u2019 throats and stabbing them in their Brentwood mansion. REUTERS<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the latest on the death of Rob Reiner:<\/p>\n Before the hearing began, Nick Reiner spoke calmly with his team before they went into the judge\u2019s private chambers for a roughly three-minute long secret meeting.<\/p>\n At one point Nick Reiner smirked before he began staring straight ahead while the defense team was out of the courtroom.<\/p>\n The hearing had initially been scheduled for Nick Reiner to enter a plea to two charges of first-degree murder<\/a>. But that was postponed by Jackson quitting the case.<\/p>\n Afterwards, Jackson told a scrum of reporters, \u201cCircumstances beyond our control, but more importantly, circumstances beyond Nick\u2019s control,\u00a0have dictated that sadly\u00a0it\u2019s made it impossible\u00a0for us to continue our representation of Nick.\u201d<\/p>\n The lawyer said he couldn\u2019t \u201clegally or ethically\u201d say why.<\/p>\n At his first hearing, Nick Reiner donned a blue suicide vest in court. REUTERS<\/p>\n The hearing had initially been scheduled for Nick Reiner to enter a plea to two charges of first-degree murder, which was postponed presumably by Jackson quitting the case. \/ SplashNews.com<\/p>\n Still, Jackson said he and his team \u201cremain deeply, deeply committed to Nick Reiner and to his best interests.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn fact, we know, we\u2019re not just convinced, we know that the legal process will reveal the true facts of the circumstances surrounding this case, Nick\u2019s case,\u201d Jackson continued.<\/p>\n The defense attorney said after spending \u201cliterally every waking hour\u201d and investigating the case \u201ctop to bottom,\u201d he learned, \u201cNick Reiner is not guilty of murder. Print that!\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile, LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochman in his own statement to the media said \u201cWe are fully confident that a jury will convict Nick Reiner beyond a reasonable doubt of the brutal murders of his parents.\u201d<\/p>\n Nick\u2019s sister, Romy, found her dead parents when she went to check on them. michelereiner\/Instagram<\/p>\n At his first court appearance last month he was forced to wear a blue suicide vest <\/a>but he\u2019s since been taken off of suicide watch.<\/p>\n