I watched Nick Reiner from a few feet away as he broke his silence after his parents' brutal murders... what I saw turned my blood cold | Retrui News | Retrui
I watched Nick Reiner from a few feet away as he broke his silence after his parents' brutal murders... what I saw turned my blood cold
SOURCE:Daily Mail
I sat in the Los Angeles courtroom just a few feet away from accused double murderer Nick Reiner.
Nick Reiner finally spoke in court this week. Just five words.
And from where I was sitting - only a few feet away inside a packed Los Angeles courtroom - they carried no fear, no remorse and no recognition of the nightmare he is accused of creating.
'Yeah, I agree with that.'
That was it. The 32-year-old delivered the words in a robotic and detached tone after the judge asked whether he understood that his attorney was withdrawing from the case in which Reiner is accused of murdering his parents, Rob Reiner, 78, and Michele Singer Reiner, 70.
There was no hesitation. No nerves. No visible reaction to the fact that he faces life in prison - or even death - if convicted.
No acknowledgment of the devastation his family has endured, or the unimaginable pain of parents allegedly being murdered by their own son.
The courtroom then went quiet - but not the kind of quiet that follows a dramatic outburst or a shocking revelation. It was heavier than that, as if everyone in the room had expected something else - perhaps a crack in his composure, a tremor in his voice, a flicker of humanity.
But nothing came.
Nick Reiner sported a new look in court on Wednesday with a shaved head and a five o'clock shadow, as shown in this court sketch (pictured)
Reiner was scheduled to be arraigned on two counts of first-degree murder at Los Angeles Superior Court's Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center on Wednesday.
He was widely expected to enter a not guilty plea by reason of insanity.
But his defense attorney, Alan Jackson - whose famous former client list includes Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey - stunned observers by announcing his withdrawal.
As Jackson met with the judge in her chambers, along with his defense team and Deputy District Attorney Habib Balian, Reiner remained behind a screen in full view of the court. They met for about 15 minutes.
He sat there with what looked like a vacant, almost trance-like stare - eyes awkwardly scanning the rows of journalists and spectators, his back hunched and expression slack.
Then, suddenly, he smiled.
It wasn't broad or joyful, just a brief, toothy grin that appeared without warning and vanished just as quickly.
The smile felt completely out of place and wrong for the moment. It was chilling.
Reiner has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the December 14 deaths of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner
Reiner sat shackled, dressed in brown jail clothing with his head freshly shaved and a faint five o'clock shadow clinging to his jaw.
Gone was the blue suicide vest he wore during his initial court appearance last month, just days after the murders.
This week was the first time I actually heard his voice - beyond the brief 'yes' responses required at his December 17 hearing.
When the attorneys came back out, Jackson explained that he had 'no choice' but to withdraw from the case.
As the attorney spoke, Reiner remained expressionless, even as his primary line of defense was being dismantled in front of him.
This time, I felt like my blood had turned cold.
Not just because of the lack of emotion, but because with his newly shaved head, Reiner's resemblance to his father was striking.
For a moment, my mind jumped to old images of Rob smiling beside his son while promoting Being Charlie, the 2015 film they worked on together.
The semi-autobiographical project drew on the younger Reiner's past struggles with drug addiction. At the time, Rob said the experience had only brought them closer.
Sitting in that courtroom, the irony felt bleak.
I found myself drifting back to his head, wondering what would compel a defendant to alter his appearance at such a critical moment. The fresh shave felt odd.
Dr. Eugene T. Lucas Jr., an associate professor and psychiatric/mental health coordinator at Wilkes University, has extensive experience with inmates dealing with psychological and addiction issues, and said the change could signal various factors.
'It's all about perception and who he sees in the mirror,' Lucas told me.
'He is building an image for himself. It's also all about his understanding of what has transpired. He is either the victim or the perpetrator. Right now, that is hard to decipher.'
Nick (behind) in a family photo alongside his parents and siblings Romy and Jake
Rob, an iconic director, and his photographer and producer wife, Michele, were found stabbed to death in their Brentwood home on December 14 after attending Conan O'Brien's holiday party.
Their second of three children, who had been battling mental health problems and drug addiction, was arrested within hours and charged with their murders.
Prosecutors allege Reiner used a knife to kill his parents.
Reiner was initially placed under suicide watch at the Twin Towers Correctional facility in downtown LA immediately after his arrest.
He was reportedly taken off mental health watch the day before his Wednesday court appearance.
It is unknown if Reiner - a diagnosed schizophrenic - has received any medical treatment inside the facility, but his face looked puffy and haggard. Commonly prescribed antipsychotic medications, often used to treat schizophrenia, are known to cause fluid retention and weight gain.
It was no surprise to see Jackson take over yet another high-profile case about seven months after he secured a victory for Karen Read, who was acquitted in the murder of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe.
But it was shocking to many to see him give it up.
Without Jackson on his team, it is unclear how - or if - Reiner will attempt to avoid a guilty verdict and the sentencing that could come along with it.
The director was known to have helped his son get treatment following years of drug use
If convicted, he could face the death penalty, though it's unclear if prosecutors will push for capital punishment.
A motive for the grisly double homicide remains unclear.
Authorities have said there was no indication that Reiner was under the influence of any drugs at the time, despite his history of substance abuse.
Rob and Michele's daughter, Romy Reiner, 28, discovered her father's body after a massage therapist slated to work at the house was unable to enter their Brentwood compound.
Romy only learned that her mother was also dead after paramedics arrived and broke the news, according to The New York Times.
There were no signs of Romy, or the oldest sibling, Jake Reiner, 34, in the courtroom at Wednesday's hearing.
Footage shows how police descended on a busy intersection in downtown Los Angeles, about 15 miles from the Reiner family's $13.5million home in Brentwood, to arrest Reiner last month
Legal analyst Lou Shapiro told me that the family's absence and Jackson's withdrawal don't necessarily mean the Reiner family doesn't plan to provide support for the accused.
'It wasn't such a shock to me that Jackson withdrew,' Shapiro said. 'But what shocked me was how fast [Jackson] was retained to begin with.'
He said most defendants are usually represented by a public defender for their first few court appearances until they are able to hire a private attorney.
Jackson was hired almost immediately after Reiner's arrest at the recommendation of Reiner family lawyers.
'It could be that the family or whoever initially hired Jackson didn't know what the price tag was at the time,' Shapiro added. 'Maybe once they did the math, they might've said, "Wow, I didn't know it would be like this."
'Maybe they are consulting with other private firms. That could still be a possibility and this doesn't necessarily mean his family has abandoned him.'
A source told The New York Times that Jackson's departure had nothing to do with his performance, suggesting Reiner's family is pulling financial support from his legal battle.
Jackson held a press conference after the 30-minute hearing but didn't provide any answers as to why he decided to withdraw from the case, citing there were 'circumstances' out of his and Reiner's 'control' that led to his decision.
'For the last three weeks, we have devoted literally every waking hour to protect Nick and his interests,' Jackson said. 'We have investigated this matter from top to bottom, back to front.
'What we've learned - and you can take this to the bank - pursuant to the law of California, Nick Reiner is not guilty. Print that!'
Shapiro added that the deputy public defender who has taken over the case, Kimberly Greene, is an 'excellent and experienced' attorney who has handled numerous homicide cases.
Greene will stand alongside Reiner at his next court appearance on February 23. He remains at the Twin Towers jail under a no-bail hold.
Shapiro said he still expects Reiner will plead not guilty by reason of insanity. For now, we will have to wait to see how this unfolds, as Greene and the public defender's office have the arduous task of conducting their own investigation and going over evidence that Jackson will hand over in the coming days.
After Jackson and the rest of his defense team walked away, I was expecting to see a crestfallen or even a tearful reaction from Reiner, who would be facing the fight of his life.
But there was nothing behind his eyes.
After he coolly replied to the judge with those five words, Reiner was quietly ushered out of the courtroom by deputies - and he never looked back.