New details emerged this week that shed light on the mental health challenges accused killer Nick Reiner faced in the years leading up to the deaths of his parents Rob Reiner and Michelle Reiner.
The younger Reiner was placed in a yearlong mental health conservatorship in 2020 by a judge, allowing him to be involuntarily held for psychiatric treatment, New York Times reported Thursday.
Reiner’s placement in the conservatorship means a judge determined he had a grave disability, unable to provide for his basic personal needs because of a mental health disorder, allowing him to be involuntarily held of psychiatric treatment.
Nick Reiner’s defense attorney, Alan Jackson, withdrew from the case during Wednesday’s court appearance.
Legal experts say that conservatorship which was not renewed in 2021 could be central to Reiner’ defense if he pleads not guilty by reason of insanity.
“In order to win and not be determined guilty of murder, he has to show that he suffers from a severe mental illness, and at the time of the act, he didn’t know what he was doing. He didn’t know wrong from right,” said David Glass, a family law attorney and former psychologist.
Rob Reiner, 78, and Michele Singer Reiner, 70, were killed early on the morning of Dec. 14, and they were found in the late afternoon, authorities said. The LA County Medical Examiner said in initial findings that they died from “multiple sharp force injuries.” A court order has prevented the release of more details. Police have said nothing about possible motives.
Prosecutors have said they have not yet decided whether to seek the death penalty for Nick Reiner.
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 Michele Singer, a photographer, and married her soon after.
A decade ago, Nick Reiner publicly discussed his struggles with addiction and mental health after making a movie with his father, “Being Charlie,” that was very loosely based on their lives.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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