Nick Reiner Appears in Court with Shaved Head, Visibly Distraught During Arraignment for Parents’ Deaths
Nick Reiner entered the courtroom sporting a freshly shaved head and displayed clear signs of distress as his arraignment commenced in Los Angeles on Wednesday, January 7th
Nick, 32, stands accused of two first-degree murder charges related to the deaths of his parents Rob Reiner and Michele Reiner, whose bodies were discovered at their residence on December 14th
Nick’s legal representative Alan Jackson stepped down from the case during the January 7th arraignment, leading to a postponement until February 23rd
Nick Reiner made his court appearance with a recently shaved head as he faced arraignment on homicide charges concerning the killings of his parents Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, who were discovered deceased inside their Brentwood, Los Angeles, residence on December 14th.
Emotional Court Appearance
Nick, 32, dressed in a tan jumpsuit with visible facial stubble, attended the Los Angeles arraignment on Wednesday, January 7th, accompanied by attorney Alan Jackson. His wrists remained restrained throughout the hearing, during which Jackson withdrew his representation and Nick received a court-appointed public defender. Nick, whose demeanor suggested he was fighting back tears during his courtroom presence, declined to complete his arraignment on January 7th, resulting in proceedings being rescheduled for February 23rd.
Custody Conditions Update
PEOPLE verified on Monday, January 5th that Nick had been removed from suicide watch at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in downtown Los Angeles before the arraignment, based on information from an L.A. County sheriff’s source. He was initially placed under enhanced monitoring upon entering the detention system on the morning of December 15th and has remained in isolated confinement since his arrest in relation to his parents’ deaths.
Under isolated confinement protocols, he must wear facility-provided clothing consisting of a shirt and blue trousers, the sheriff’s source indicated; the detention center has discontinued the suicide-prevention garment he was previously mandated to wear constantly and had on during his initial court appearance in the homicide case on December 17th.
Serious Charges and Potential Penalties
Nick faces two first-degree murder charges in relation to the deaths of his parents, filmmaker Rob, 78, and photographer Michele, 70. The L.A. County Medical Examiner’s Office verified to PEOPLE on December 17th that the couple perished from “multiple sharp force injuries.”
Nathan J. Hochman, the L.A. County district attorney, is additionally seeking a murder conviction with “special circumstances,” a classification that could render Nick subject to capital punishment or lifetime imprisonment without possibility of release.
History of Concerns
In the years preceding their deaths, there were indications of trouble at the Reiners’ residence. Law enforcement previously responded to wellness-check requests at the Los Angeles property, documentation acquired by PEOPLE on January 2nd reveals. In 2019, officers visited the residence twice while their son Nick was residing there—once for a request coded as a wellness check and once for a request categorized as mental health-related.
Mental Health Background
Nick was reportedly undergoing treatment for schizophrenia prior to his parents’ deaths. The Los Angeles Times and KNBC both documented, referencing sources, that Nick was receiving pharmaceutical treatment for the psychiatric condition. Schizophrenia is a frequently misunderstood—yet manageable—diagnosis, marked by psychotic symptoms, psychiatrist Dr. Molly “Mary” Conlon explained to PEOPLE. Conlon supervises the residential program at Northwell Health’s Zucker Hillside Hospital and has no association with Nick, his medical care or the case.
The Reiner Family
Rob and Michele initially connected while he was helming When Harry Met Sally… and subsequently married in 1989. They also had son Jake, 34, and daughter Romy, 28, along with Nick; Rob additionally had daughter Tracey, 61, from his first marriage to the late actress Penny Marshall.
The tragic circumstances surrounding this case have shocked the entertainment community and beyond, as a family known for their creative contributions now faces unimaginable grief. As legal proceedings continue, the focus remains on understanding what led to this devastating outcome while respecting the gravity of the charges and the presumption of innocence that accompanies them.
The postponed arraignment date of February 23rd will provide additional time for Nick’s new legal representation to prepare, as this complex case involving mental health considerations and serious criminal allegations continues to unfold in the Los Angeles court system.