Nick Reiner will not face death penalty over his parents' killings

Nick Reiner, the 33-year-old son of Hollywood director Rob Reiner, will not face the death penalty for the killings of his parents. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman made the announcement at a news conference on Tuesday. He said his office carefully reviewed the case before making its decision. That review included talking to the families of Rob and Michele Singer Reiner and considering factors that might help Nick Reiner's side.

Nick Reiner appeared briefly at a court hearing Tuesday morning and has pleaded not guilty two times. The death penalty had been possible because of the way the crime was described — he is accused of waiting in hiding, more than one person was killed, and a knife was used. However, California has not carried out an execution in about 20 years. Governor Gavin Newsom also paused the use of the death penalty back in 2019.

Nick Reiner's public defender, Kimberly Greene, said prosecutors made the right call. She said Nick has a serious mental illness and a long history of struggling with self-medication. Greene noted that his situation shows how hard it can be for people with mental health challenges to get the help they need. She also said nothing can undo the pain of losing loved ones.

Nick Reiner was charged with first-degree murder on December 16, just two days after the killings. His first lawyer, Alan Jackson, strongly insisted that Nick was not guilty under California law. Jackson had to leave the case for reasons that were not made public, and a public defender took his place. A grand jury formally charged Nick Reiner in July.

A judge is deciding whether to release the secret records from that grand jury process, which would reveal many details about what happened. Hochman said his office would not block the records from being released. But Nick Reiner's siblings, Jake and Romi, strongly opposed releasing them, saying it would cause more pain and harm. Judge Sam Ohta said he will hear arguments on the issue next month.

Nick Reiner has also asked a separate judge to let him access money from a trust fund his parents set up for him when he was a child. He wants to use the money to rehire Jackson, a well-known defense attorney. The people managing the trust say he should not receive the funds, but his lawyers argue the money is legally his regardless of his parents' deaths. A ruling on that request has not yet been made, and Hochman said he does not expect a trial until next year.

Just hours before Tuesday's announcement, Rob Reiner was honored at the Emmy Awards on Monday night. He received a posthumous Emmy — an award given after someone has died — for best guest actor in a comedy series for his work on the show 'The Bear.' His friend and co-star Jamie Lee Curtis spoke at the ceremony, saying, 'He was generous, kind and funny as hell, and a friend to all.' She added that many people miss both Rob and Michele Reiner.

Nick Reiner was the second of Rob and Michele Reiner's three children. He and his father once worked together on the 2015 film 'Being Charlie,' which was partly based on Nick's own teenage struggles with addiction and homelessness. Rob Reiner first became famous as an actor on the TV sitcom 'All in the Family.' He later became a celebrated movie director, making beloved films like 'Stand By Me,' 'A Few Good Men,' and 'When Harry Met Sally…' — and it was during that last film that he met Michele Singer, whom he married and stayed with for 36 years.