Attorney for Rob Reiner's son resigns but says his client is not guilty of murder under state law

[FakeNoose]

Source: AP News

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The high-profile private attorney for Nick Reiner was granted a request to be removed from his case Wednesday, but later told reporters that according to California law his client is not guilty of murder in the killing of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner.

“Circumstances beyond our control and more importantly circumstances beyond Nick’s control have dictated that, sadly, it’s made it impossible to continue our representation of Nick,” lawyer Alan Jackson said as he stood with his team outside a Los Angeles courthouse.

But, Jackson added, after weeks of investigation, “what we’ve learned, and you can take this to the bank, is that pursuant to the laws of this state, pursuant to the law of California, Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder. Print that.” Jackson would not specify what he meant and took no questions at the brief news conference.

He spoke after a hearing where Nick Reiner was supposed to be arraigned and enter a plea to two charges of first-degree murder. Instead, after meeting with the Judge Theresa McGonigle in chambers, Jackson was replaced by a public defender and Reiner’s plea hearing was postponed to Feb. 23.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/rob-reiner-michele-nick-killing-001241300a3de5ecfa1323b0031fdfcf

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That attorney sounds kind of angry, doesn't he? What's up with that....

[cstanleytech]

1. Money issue maybe?

[Irish_Dem]

4. Yep. Looks like family will not pay his legal bills.

Can't say as I blame them.

[tonekat]

18. He realized there would be no payday. N/T

[Irish_Dem]

19. His parents had always bailed him out. But the siblings won't do it.

[OldBaldy1701E]

23. Yup. (n/t)

[yardwork]

24. That was my immediate thought as well.

[Kali]

6. kind of seems like it

since now he has a public defender assigned. Ol' Alan's pro bono obligations must be booked up already.

[cstanleytech]

9. You think a high-profile attorney that would want it for his badge award to represent such a client.

You know just for the PR value.

[Kali]

14. pretty sure he doesn't need that

would like to know what the you tube lawyers are saying about this but I don't want to get sucked into that hole right now. LOL I can be a real courtroom junkie

[Irish_Dem]

20. Yes. Makes me think the killer is very high maintenance and difficult?

[Demobrat]

13. Of course it's money.

It’s always money.

[wcmagumba]

2. Reiner stabbed his elderly parents to death with a knife...seems kinda murdery to me...

[Blues Heron]

12. Probably alluding to an insanity defense

[reACTIONary]

17. Note that he said....

.... "under CA law," which I take to indicate some niche legal strategy. It is also incumbent on an attorney to always maintain his clients innocence in public, and especially so when "dumping" him. He has to disabuse the notion he is dumping him because he is guilty.

So he probably used some obscure and unlikely legal strategy as an excuse to avoid creating prejudice against his client.

[Irish_Dem]

3. Drug addicts cannot use Not Guilty By Reason of Insanity as a defense.

And this suspect was not psychotic or confused.
He cut their throats so he knew exactly what he was doing.

[cstanleytech]

5. Anyone can try such a defense but proving it is the problem and I don't see that happening here.

[Irish_Dem]

8. He is a known drug addict and most likely had drugs in his system when arrested.

And he was organized, capable of planning and executing that plan.

He was able to determine the best way to kill his parents, slitting their throats,
and carrying out that plan.

It seems open and shut to me.

First degree murder.

I think the lawyers are playing some games right now.

Prosecutors asking for the death penalty, in order to make the suspect plead
guilty to second degree murder with life in prison, no parole.

[cstanleytech]

10. Oh I agree but it will still be interesting what the court says.

[Irish_Dem]

11. The court usually asks for psych evals.

[RockRaven]

7. Circumstances beyond our control, beyond his control

So like him not having access to his parents' money to pay you? Maybe circumstances like that?

[FakeNoose]

15. Sounds like it to me ... maybe Nick can't inherit his dad's money and he can't raise any money on his own

... or maybe it's something entirely different. It sounds like the lawyer has been fired. Or maybe they asked him to work pro bono and he won't do it.

[GJGCA]

16. Old (& bad) joke alert...

... your Honor, go easy on me, I'm an orphan...

[Rocknation]

21. TRANSLATION: "My client can't afford high-profile lawyer fees

Last edited Thu Jan 8, 2026, 02:56 PM - Edit history (1)

and I can't afford to have a defeat by a dead high-profile liberal on my resume. So I'm kicking him to the curb with the advice that he try for a plea deal..."


Rocknation

[LudwigPastorius]

22. Maybe Jackson wants to pursue 'a not guilty by reason of insanity' defense and N. Reiner doesn't want that.

Guilty of NGRI is indefinite incarceration in a state mental hospital, essentially a life sentence.

Perhaps Reiner wants to plead to 2nd degree 'crime of passion' murders, which carries 15 to life for each, because he thinks he'll be able to get out of prison at some point.