Nick Reiner has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner.
The plea was entered on Monday morning during an arraignment in a Los Angeles courtroom by his new attorney, public defender Kimberly Greene. Reiner appeared behind glass during the hearing.
He stood in an enclosed custody area wearing brown jail clothing. Unlike a previous court appearance in December, he was not dressed in a suicide prevention smock, according to the Associated Press.
Proceedings in the case had been delayed last month after Reiner’s former lawyer, Alan Jackson, withdrew from representing him. Jackson said at the time that he could not disclose the reasons for stepping down but maintained that his client was not guilty.
Reiner, 32, has been in custody since December, when he was arrested in connection with the alleged stabbings. The bodies of his parents were discovered at their Los Angeles home on 14 December by their daughter. Police detained Reiner later that evening.
Rob Reiner, a celebrated director and actor, was 78. His wife, Michele Singer Reiner, a photographer, was 70. The Los Angeles county medical examiner said both died from multiple sharp force injuries.
Prosecutors have charged Reiner with first-degree murder, including a special circumstance of multiple murders, as well as a special allegation involving the use of a deadly weapon. He is being held without bail.
Habib Balian, a deputy district attorney, told the judge that prosecutors are still awaiting a full autopsy report.
After the hearing, Los Angeles district attorney Nathan Hochman said the case is eligible for the death penalty, though no decision has yet been made.
“We will be looking at all aggravating and mitigating circumstances,” Hochman said.
The deaths of the couple, who were also known for their political activism, sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry and prompted extensive media coverage.
Much of that attention has focused on Reiner’s history of mental illness and addiction. He collaborated with his father on the film Being Charlie, which was reportedly inspired by his own struggles.
According to the New York Times, Reiner was placed under a conservatorship for a year in 2020 due to mental health concerns. The Los Angeles Times reported that he had previously been prescribed medication used to treat schizophrenia.
Media reports have described his behaviour as increasingly erratic in the period leading up to the killings. On the night before the bodies were discovered, the couple attended a Christmas party at the home of comedian Conan O’Brien, where Rob and Nick Reiner were reportedly heard arguing.
O’Brien later spoke about the deaths in an interview with the New Yorker, describing the couple as “lovely people”.
“To say goodnight to somebody and then find out the next day that they’re gone,” he said, “I was in shock for quite a while afterwards.”
Before leaving the case, Reiner’s former lawyer urged the public not to draw conclusions. Jackson said circumstances beyond his control had made it “impossible” to continue representing his client.
“What we’ve learned,” he told reporters, “is that pursuant to the law of California, Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder.”
Reiner is due to return to court on 29 April.
