Nick Reiner Faces New Charges In Killing Of Rob Reiner & Michelle Reiner; No Death Penalty Decision Yet, D.A. Says
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Los Angeles prosecutors have filed new charges against Nick Reiner over the alleged killings of his parents, filmmaker Rob Reiner and Michele Reiner, but have not decided whether to seek the death penalty. The new indictment increases the seriousness of the case and moves it closer to trial, although no trial date has been set.
Reiner, 32, has been held without bail since his arrest on 14 December after his parents were found dead at their Brentwood home. Prosecutors added a special-circumstance allegation that the murders were committed by lying in wait, alongside allegations of multiple murders and personal use of a knife; he pleaded not guilty. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for 15 September, while a separate civil hearing on access to trust-fund money for his defence is set for 17 August.
- Prosecutors added a lying-in-wait allegation against Nick Reiner.
- No decision has been made on seeking the death penalty.
- Reiner pleaded not guilty and remains held without bail.
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Rob Reiner is a prominent American film director and actor, known for films including This Is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride and When Harry Met Sally. Michele Reiner is his wife, an actor and photographer, and the couple had several children, including Nick Reiner.
Nick Reiner has been accused of killing both of his parents at their home in Brentwood, an affluent area of Los Angeles. Under US law, a person charged with a crime is presumed innocent unless prosecutors prove the case beyond reasonable doubt at trial.
The case is being handled in California, where certain allegations can make a murder charge more serious and may affect the possible sentence if there is a conviction. Prosecutors can seek the death penalty in some cases, but that decision is separate from bringing charges and is subject to further review.
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