Nick Reiner might face loss of life penalty; household views carry weight, not management: consultants

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Days after Rob and Michele Reiner had been discovered lifeless inside their Brentwood, Calif. residence, their son and suspected killer, Nick Reiner, appeared in court docket for the primary time after being charged with double homicide towards his dad and mom.

Reiner, 32, appeared within the courtroom on Wednesday sporting a blue suicide prevention vest. When a choose requested if Reiner waived his rights, Nick mentioned, "Sure, your honor." His arraignment is about for Jan. 7.

Sooner or later prior, Los Angeles County District Lawyer Nathan Hochman introduced the fees Tuesday throughout a press convention with LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell.

"These prices can be two counts of first-degree homicide with a particular circumstance of a number of murders," Hochman mentioned. "He additionally faces a particular allegation that he personally used a harmful and lethal weapon, that being a knife. These prices carry a most sentence of life in jail with out the opportunity of parole or the loss of life penalty."

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Nick Reiner appeared within the courtroom for the primary time after being charged with double murder towards his dad and mom, Rob and Michele Reiner. (Getty Photos)

Nevertheless, if the loss of life penalty is pursued, Nick wouldn't be executed as a result of moratorium instituted by California Governor Gavin Newsom in 2019.

Whereas the chief order didn't repeal capital punishment in California, it has halted all executions indefinitely, Oakland prison protection lawyer Jo-Anna Nieves informed Fox Information Digital.

"The manager order issued by Gavin Newsom halted executions, closed the execution chamber at San Quentin, and paused lethal-injection protocols, but it surely didn't repeal the loss of life penalty or invalidate loss of life sentences imposed by courts," Nieves mentioned. "California nonetheless has the loss of life penalty on the books, and prosecutors are legally permitted to hunt it in eligible circumstances."

"Virtually talking, even when prosecutors pursue the loss of life penalty towards Nick Reiner and procure a conviction and loss of life sentence, no execution would happen beneath the present moratorium," she added. "The sentence would legally exist, however its enforcement would stay suspended until the moratorium is lifted by a future governor or the regulation is modified via laws or voter motion."

<source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/12/343/192/nick-reiner-court-murder-stabbing-rob-reiner-los-angeles-sketch-003.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/12/686/384/nick-reiner-court-murder-stabbing-rob-reiner-los-angeles-sketch-003.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="192" width="343"><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/12/672/378/nick-reiner-court-murder-stabbing-rob-reiner-los-angeles-sketch-003.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/12/1344/756/nick-reiner-court-murder-stabbing-rob-reiner-los-angeles-sketch-003.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/12/931/523/nick-reiner-court-murder-stabbing-rob-reiner-los-angeles-sketch-003.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/12/1862/1046/nick-reiner-court-murder-stabbing-rob-reiner-los-angeles-sketch-003.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"><source media="(min-width: 1280px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/12/720/405/nick-reiner-court-murder-stabbing-rob-reiner-los-angeles-sketch-003.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/12/1440/810/nick-reiner-court-murder-stabbing-rob-reiner-los-angeles-sketch-003.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="405" width="720"> Sketch of Nick Reiner sporting a blue suicide prevention vest in Superior Courtroom in Los Angeles on Wednesday, December 17, 2025. (Mona Edwards)

The moratorium, nonetheless, could possibly be overturned as soon as a brand new governor is elected in 2026.

Throughout Tuesday's press convention, Hochman additionally informed reporters that they may take the "ideas and wishes of the household into consideration" relating to Reiner's sentencing.

"In California, it's routine for prosecutors to think about the ‘ideas and wishes’ of a sufferer’s household at this stage. Beneath California’s Victims’ Bill of Rights , generally referred to as Marsy’s Regulation, victims and their households have the suitable to be heard and to talk to prosecutors about charging and sentencing selections. That mentioned, their views are one issue amongst many, together with the power of the proof, aggravating and mitigating circumstances, and broader coverage concerns."

Nieves mentioned the household's enter is "significant," however "not controlling."

Nick Reiner was charged Tuesday within the deaths of his dad and mom, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner. (Getty Photos)

" California law provides victims and their households the suitable to specific their views, submit influence statements, and take part in key levels of the method, however the final charging determination, and any determination to hunt the loss of life penalty, rests solely with the prosecution," she mentioned. "Courts have been clear that prosecutors can not base a death-penalty determination completely on a household’s needs. Whereas Marsy’s Regulation ensures that households are heard and thought of, sentencing outcomes should nonetheless be grounded in statutory standards and constitutional necessities."

On Wednesday, Rob and Michele's kids, Jake and Romy Reiner, opened up in regards to the "unimaginable ache" the 2 are experiencing after the loss of life of their dad and mom.

"Phrases can not even start to explain the unimaginable ache we're experiencing each second of the day," an announcement offered to Fox Information Digital learn. "The horrific and devastating lack of our dad and mom, Rob and Michele Reiner, is one thing that nobody ought to ever expertise. They weren't simply our dad and mom; they had been our greatest mates."

"We're grateful for the outpouring of condolences, kindness, and help we've obtained not solely from household and mates however individuals from all walks of life."

On Wednesday, Rob and Michele's kids, Jake and Romy Reiner, opened up in regards to the "unimaginable ache" the 2 are experiencing after the loss of life of their dad and mom. (Michael Buckner/Selection through Getty Photos)

"We now ask for respect and privateness, for hypothesis to be tempered with compassion and humanity, and for our dad and mom to be remembered for the unbelievable lives they lived and the love they gave."

Shortly after Nick's court docket look, his attorney, Alan Jackson , admitted there have been a myriad of points within the case towards his shopper.

"Initially, and most significantly, this can be a devastating tragedy that has befallen the Reiner family ," Jackson mentioned whereas addressing the media Wednesday.

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"All of us acknowledge that, our hearts exit to the whole Reiner household. There are very, very complicated and severe points which are related to this case that must be totally however very fastidiously handled, and examined and checked out and analyzed."

On Sunday, Nick, was arrested on suspicion of murdering his parents , who had been found dead inside their Brentwood , Calif., residence simply hours after allegedly getting right into a verbal altercation with their son at Conan O’Brien’s Christmas social gathering the night time earlier than. Nick was situated and brought into custody at roughly 9:15 p.m. close to the College of Southern California campus.

<source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/12/672/378/rob-reiner-stabbing-hollywood-memorial-los-angeles-001.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/12/1344/756/rob-reiner-stabbing-hollywood-memorial-los-angeles-001.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/12/931/523/rob-reiner-stabbing-hollywood-memorial-los-angeles-001.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/12/1862/1046/rob-reiner-stabbing-hollywood-memorial-los-angeles-001.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"> Flowers cowl the Stroll of Fame star for Rob Reiner Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, within the Hollywood part of Los Angeles. (Damian Dovarganes/AP Photograph)

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The 32-year-old was initially booked on $4 million bail , however data now present he's being held without bail . On Monday, he was transferred to the Twin Towers Correctional Facility, based on the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department .

The night time earlier than the murders, household mates of the Reiners informed the Los Angeles Times that Nick received into an argument along with his dad and mom at O'Brien's Christmas social gathering. Many individuals observed Nick was behaving unusually, based on the outlet.

"Nick was freaking everybody out, performing loopy, stored asking individuals in the event that they had been well-known," a supply additionally informed People journal.

Nick Reiner, the 32-year-old son of Rob and Michele Reiner, had a historical past of habit and violent outbursts earlier than dad and mom' loss of life. (Getty Photos; Jake Reiner Fb)

Per TMZ , after Rob and Nick received right into a "very loud argument," the director and Michele left the social gathering.

Nick reportedly additionally received right into a tiff with comic and actor Invoice Hader on the similar social gathering. A consultant for Hader had no remark when reached by Fox Information Digital.

Nick has had his share of battles all through the years. In an interview with Fox Information Digital, Nick's childhood yoga teacher remembered an depth about him, noting he was "simply very, very intense, very hyperactive."

Alanna Zabel, who wrote the guide "A Chair within the Air" impressed by Nick, first began working with Michele, they usually ultimately "started discussing simply how a lot vitality [Nick] had and the way disruptive he was."

"And he or she steered, ‘What if you happen to did yoga simply with him? And I mentioned, ’Positive.' Proper, so I began doing privates with Nicky and that is how the guide was born," Zabel mentioned. "So it was my very first kids's guide, and it's kind of ironic and prophetic at the moment, clearly. You understand, I used to be trying again at it this week and, you recognize, crying."

"Identical to, particularly the web page the place he is on the horse after which [magical guide] Mahini Yogini is form of guiding him to say, 'Pay attention, your vitality is a present, your zip is a present, it is simply, how are you going to decide on to make use of it? And there is the street to happiness and there is a street to disappointment,' and it is simply, you recognize, realizing the place we're at the moment, it is simply devastating."

When requested if she realized Nick wanted a unique kind of help outdoors of yoga, Zabel mentioned: "Loads of this, I referred to Michele and Rob, you recognize, we had been making good progress. You understand he was doing the category. He wasn't rebelling towards it. So it wasn't one thing — and I additionally wasn't the only individual or a therapist or a part of a remedy program. This was simply one thing to be doing on the facet to see if it labored. So we thought it was optimistic and there simply got here some extent the place we stopped doing it. I actually suppose Nicky received tired of it."

WATCH: Nick Reiner’s childhood yoga teacher remembers his 'disruptive' conduct

In keeping with good friend and cinematographer Barry Markowitz, the Reiners' lives had been "enterprise as standard" weeks earlier than the brutal murders.

Markowitz, who labored with Rob and Nick on "Being Charlie," stayed with the couple on the finish of November whereas on the town for a movie premiere.

"Romy was out and in [of the house] and at supper time she comes over and all of us bulls--- collectively," Markowitz informed Web page Six. "[We would] scream on the TV, we watched a film and a basketball sport. Performed with the canine. Family time . One massive love fest."

Nick was charged with double murder on Tuesday. (Michael Buckner/Getty Photos for Teen Vogue)

In keeping with Markowitz, Nick gave the impression to be "on the upswing."

"He seemed nice. He was sitting and speaking with the household," Markowitz shared. "They eat dinner collectively, old style, and quite a lot of love, all the time quite a lot of love."

The cinematographer claimed he did not see "something unusual" between Nick and the Reiners throughout his five-night keep.

"He helped out, he took out the rubbish, he watched TV, he washed dishes," he recalled. "He’d convey me one thing to drink. He was simply regular in that sense."

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Nick's arraignment has been set for Jan. 7.

"Irrespective of the way you take a look at it, this case is a tragedy," San Diego prison protection lawyer David P. Shapiro informed Fox Information Digital. "Two people seem to have been brutally murdered. In essence, a 3rd life could also be misplaced within the occasion Nick Reiner is convicted and spends the remainder of his life in jail. The household’s heartache should be immense."