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Nick Reiner Dropped by High-Profile Lawyer Before Murder Arraignment
Son of Hollywood elites faces death penalty as attorney abruptly withdraws and public defender steps in.

As Hollywood reels from the brutal slaying of Rob and Michele Reiner, their son Nick Reiner now faces his murder charges without the high-powered legal muscle he once had behind him. In a stunning courtroom moment, famed defense attorney Alan Jackson known for defending celebrities like Kevin Spacey and Harvey Weinstein withdrew from the case just days ahead of Reiner’s scheduled arraignment.
“Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder,” Jackson told the court Wednesday. Yet despite that strong statement, he added that he had “no choice” but to walk away, citing circumstances “beyond Nick’s control.”
It’s a dramatic twist in a case that’s already rocked the entertainment world and exposed troubling undercurrents within elite Hollywood circles.
Here’s what we know so far:
Nick Reiner, 32, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of his parents, director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele, who were found dead in December.
Reiner has a long history of drug addiction and erratic behavior, including at a party hosted by comedian Conan O’Brien shortly before the murders.
Jackson’s sudden departure leaves Reiner now represented by public defender Kimberly Greene, a sharp contrast from the high-profile defense team originally expected for the case.
The Reiner family has been shattered by the tragedy. Reiner’s siblings, Romy and Jake, released a heartbreaking statement following their brother’s initial court appearance:
“They weren’t just our parents; they were our best friends. The horrific and devastating loss... is something that no one should ever experience.”
Romy, 28, was the one who discovered their parents’ bodies, and she didn’t mince words when speaking to police telling them that Nick, who had been living in the house, was “dangerous.”
Jackson, who recently helped secure an acquittal in the widely publicized Karen Read case, didn’t detail what forced his hand but made it clear that ethics prevented him from continuing. That kind of withdrawal is rare in high-profile cases, and often points to deep internal conflict or unrecoverable issues between lawyer and client.
The stakes could not be higher. Reiner now faces life without parole or the death penalty if convicted. With his legal defense team in flux and a growing mountain of circumstantial and family testimony against him, his odds of walking free seem increasingly bleak.
This case isn’t just about a gruesome crime. It’s about the darker truths behind privilege, addiction, and a crumbling Hollywood dynasty. And now, with one of the industry’s best defense attorneys gone, Nick Reiner is heading toward a legal storm that no publicist or PR spin can contain.
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