Nick Reiner to be arraigned in killing of parents

LOS ANGELES — Nick Reiner is set to be arraigned and enter a plea Wednesday in the killing of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner. His scheduled appearance in a Los Angeles Superior Court comes 3 1/2 weeks after the beloved actor-director and his wife of 36 years were found dead with stab wounds in their home in the upscale Brentwood section of Los Angeles, authorities said. Dozens of media members with cameras were gathered outside the downtown courthouse. Dozens more reporters gathered inside waiting for the hearing. A judge approved the use of cameras inside the courtroom, but at a previous hearing she did not allow them to take pictures of the defendant, and could do the same Wednesday. Nick Reiner, 32, the third of Rob Reiner's four children, was arrested hours later, and has been held without bail since. He was charged two days later with two counts of first-degree murder. He did not enter a plea during a brief first court appearance Dec. 17, when he wore shackles and a suicide prevention smock. His attorney, Alan Jackson, has given no indication of the plans for his defense. Nearly all defendants in criminal cases plead not guilty at this stage. Jackson could also ask for another delay before a plea is entered. If Nick Reiner pleads not guilty, the case would normally head toward a preliminary hearing to determine whether there is enough evidence for him to stand trial. His mental competence for trial could also be a factor. A decade ago, Nick Reiner publicly discussed his severe struggles with addiction and mental health after making a movie with his father, "Being Charlie," that was very loosely based on their lives. Rob Reiner, 78, and Michele Singer Reiner, 70, were killed early on the morning of Dec. 14, and they were found in the late afternoon, authorities said. The LA County Medical Examiner said in initial findings that they died from "multiple sharp force injuries," but released no other details, and police have said nothing about possible motives. Jackson is a high-profile defense attorney and former LA County prosecutor who represented Harvey Weinstein at his Los Angeles trial and Karen Read at her intensely followed trials in Massachusetts. After the initial Reiner hearing, Jackson called the case "a devastating tragedy." He said the proceedings will be very complex and asked that the circumstances be met "not with a rush to judgment." The counts against Reiner come with special circumstances of multiple murders and an allegation that he used a dangerous weapon, a knife. The additions could mean a greater sentence. Prosecutors have said they have not yet decided whether to seek the death penalty. The prosecution is being led by Deputy District Attorney Habib Balian, whose recent cases included the Menendez brothers' attempt at resentencing and the trial of Robert Durst. Rob Reiner was a prolific director whose work included some of the most memorable and endlessly watchable movies of the 1980s and '90s. His credits included "This is Spinal Tap," "Stand By Me," "A Few Good Men," and "When Harry Met Sally," during whose production he met Michele Singer, a photographer, and married her soon after.