Nick Reiner’s arraignment has been delayed again, as his lawyer — famed criminal defense attorney Alan Jackson — quit just before the court hearing.
On Wednesday morning at the Los Angeles County Superior Court Stanley Mosk Courthouse, Jackson informed the judge overseeing the case that he is no longer representing Nick, who stands accused of murdering his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner.
“We would ask to withdrawal as counsel of record. We have no choice but to withdraw and ask to be relieved,” Jackson said.
Nick will instead be represented by a public defender named Kimberly Greene.
The judge signed off on the change of legal representation and set a new arraignment date for Feb. 23.
“Uh, yeah, I agree with that,” Nick said before leaving the courtroom and going back to Twin Towers Correctional Facility, where he will remain without bail.
A rep for Nick’s siblings, Jake and Romy Reiner, told Page Six in a statement after the hearing, “They have the utmost trust in the legal process and will not comment further on matters related to the legal proceedings.”
Nick was supposed to enter a plea on Wednesday. This is the second time his arraignment has been pushed back, as it was initially set to take place during his first court appearance on Dec. 17.
With disheveled hair, the 32-year-old remained stoic and somber throughout that hearing, looking straight ahead. He was shackled at both hands and feet and wore an anti-suicide smock.
Nick spoke only three words during that appearance to tell the judge, “Yes, your honor,” confirming that he was sure he wanted to waive his right to a fast arraignment.
Following the short hearing, Jackson announced to reporters outside the courthouse that his then-client would be arraigned on Jan. 7.
“First of all, and most importantly, this is a devastating tragedy that has befallen the Reiner family. We all recognize that. Our hearts go out to the entire Reiner family. There are very, very complex and serious issues that are associated with this case. These need to be thoroughly but very carefully dealt with and examined and looked at and analyzed,” he said.
“We ask that during this process, you allow the system to move forward in the way that it was designed to move forward. Not with the rush to judgment, not with jumping to conclusions, but with restraint and with dignity and with the respect that this system and this process deserves and that the family deserves.”
Jackson continued, “So with that, we are set for Jan. 7 for an arraignment. That’s the next court date, and that’s all I have to say at this point. There may be more at some other point, but today we’re going to rest on where we stand procedurally.”
Jake, 34, and Romy, 29, also released a statement following the initial hearing.
“Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day. The horrific and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something that no one should ever experience. They weren’t just our parents; they were our best friends,” they said via their rep.
“We are grateful for the outpouring of condolences, kindness and support we have received not only from family and friends but people from all walks of life.”
The pair added, “We now ask for respect and privacy, for speculation to be tempered with compassion and humanity and for our parents to be remembered for the incredible lives they lived and the love they gave.”
The duo made no mention of their brother.
On Dec. 14, Rob, who was 78, and Michele, who was 70, were found stabbed to death in their Brentwood home after having gotten into an argument with Nick at a party the night before.
The LA County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that the couple died from “multiple sharp force injuries,” ruling that the manner was homicide.
Nick was subsequently arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder with a special circumstance of multiple murders.
He is facing a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty.
In between when Jackson took him on as a client and then dropped him, it was reported that Nick — who has a long history of drug addiction — had been diagnosed with schizophrenia before the killings.
Sources said the medications he was taking were making him act “erratic and dangerous.”
Read the full article here
