The slayings of Hollywood legend Rob Reiner and his photographer spouse, Michele, have given rise to a posh and intensely watched authorized wrestle involving their accused son, prosecutors and protection attorneys, who all face key strategic selections within the coming weeks and months.
Prosecutors allege Nick Reiner fatally stabbed his dad and mom inside the main bedroom of their Brentwood residence early on a Sunday morning, then fled the world.
They’ve supplied no motive for the Dec. 14 assault, however Nick Reiner struggled with habit for years, and he had been prescribed medicine for schizophrenia sooner or later earlier than the killings, in accordance with two sources with data of the felony investigation. Sources have additionally stated he obtained into some kind of argument with Rob Reiner at a Christmas get together hours earlier than the slaying.
Authorized consultants say Reiner’s psychological situation and the main points of what occurred on the get together could possibly be essential parts in the case.
An entire evaluation of his psychological well being will most likely take months, and the outcomes of that might affect how each side proceed and whether or not prosecutors search the dying penalty.
Reiner, 32, was charged with two counts of homicide and will face life in jail with out parole, or the dying penalty if convicted of the particular circumstance allegation of a number of murders. Reiner appeared in court docket Dec. 17 carrying a blue suicide prevention smock, which is issued to defendants who pose a threat of self-harm. A choose authorised legal professional Alan Jackson’s request to proceed Reiner’s arraignment to Jan. 7.
Reiner didn’t enter a plea, so the general public has not but heard his aspect of the story. Prosecutors have additionally launched few particulars.
Assessing Nick Reiner’s psychological state
Lou Shapiro, a Los Angeles protection legal professional, stated he expects that Jackson is now working to judge “Reiner’s historical past of psychological well being and way of thinking in the course of the fee of against the law. That’s going to take time for the consultants to arrange a report.”
These findings could possibly be the premise for discussions of a plea deal or the start of an madness protection, in accordance with Shapiro and others.
The brutal killings of the Reiners surprised the world, and the stakes are going to be excessive for Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman and his workers, who’ve vowed justice for the beloved couple.
Shapiro stated Hochman is unlikely to think about a punishment lower than life with out the potential of parole, since he has already alleged particular circumstances.
“It will be arduous for him politically to stroll that again,” Shapiro stated.
Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor, agreed however stated he can be shocked if prosecutors sought the dying penalty.
“California hasn’t carried out an execution in many years, and Newsom had positioned a moratorium on the dying penalty,” he stated. “It’s nonetheless extremely unlikely that Nick is executed, however the potential of the dying penalty could also be utilized by the prosecution to leverage a plea. Extra seemingly, this gained’t be a capital case and it’ll go to trial as a result of the prosecution gained’t provide something lower than life with out the potential of parole.”
The Conan O’Brien get together battle could possibly be key
The case is in its earliest phases and prosecutors have introduced little or no proof towards Nick Reiner, together with forensics, movies or different knowledge. So it’s not possible to know exactly what is going to occur subsequent. Prosecutors haven’t commented on the allegation that Rob and Nick Reiner exchanged phrases at Conan O’Brien’s Christmas get together. Some household associates informed The Instances the conflict had been “overblown.”
However Rahmani stated prosecutors might use it.
He stated it could possibly be used as proof of premeditation. “In the event you get into an argument with somebody and also you come again with a weapon, that’s premeditation.”
Rahmani additionally stated prosecutors might use the argument to battle an madness protection. “In the event you’re succesful sufficient to have an argument along with your dad and mom at a Christmas get together … you aren’t insane,” Rahmani stated.
Madness protection has challenges
Protection legal professional Dmitry Gorin, a former L.A. County prosecutor, stated Jackson’s first process is assessing his shopper’s psychological well being. That evaluation might in the end result in a not responsible by madness plea, however might additionally present proof to maneuver Reiner from the county jail to a non-public psychiatric facility.
“An important factor in felony instances is to have the shoppers get speedy remedy, and be capable of cooperate in his protection, which is not going to occur whereas he’s in jail,” he stated.
Gorin stated that the madness protection is especially powerful in California, and that in uncommon instances it should be proved {that a} defendant didn’t know proper from flawed.
“The burden of proof is on the protection in an madness case, and the jury might even see the protection as an excuse for committing a severe crime,” he stated. “The jury units a really excessive bar on the defendant as a result of it understands that it’s going to launch him from obligation.”
Sources informed The Instances that after the killing, Nick Reiner went to a lodge in Santa Monica. He was arrested that Sunday evening close to USC. His total actions that day stay unclear.
Neither Jackson nor prosecutors would touch upon the path of the case.
‘Advanced’ points
Jackson has referred to as the killings “a devastating tragedy. However he cautioned the general public to not rush to judgment or leap to conclusions, saying there are “very advanced and severe points” that have to be “totally, however very rigorously, handled and examined and checked out and analyzed.”
Nick Reiner’s habit has been public for years.
He has stated in interviews that he turned hooked on heroin as a youngster, and had cycled out and in of rehabilitation facilities and skilled bouts of homelessness. Reiner stated he was now not utilizing by 2015, when he co-wrote “Being Charlie,” a movie a couple of drug-addicted younger man whose father is a chilly former film star operating for governor of California. Rob Reiner directed the movie.
Nick Reiner has no felony historical past and on the time of the killing was dwelling within the again home of the Reiners’ property.
