Nick Reiner has pleaded not guilty to the murder of his parents, Michele Singer and Rob Reiner, for a second time, as new details emerged in the case. The 32-year-old entered the plea after the original murder case was replaced by grand jury charges, which were unsealed on Wednesday.
Special Circumstance Allegations
Prosecutors have brought forward accusations of 'special circumstance', alleging that Nick lay in wait for his parents before the fatal attack. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman described it as 'a profound betrayal by someone who was loved and trusted by the very people he is accused of killing.'
Hochman added: 'We hope that by having a grand jury return an indictment in this case it will bring us one step closer to a trial and achieving justice.'
Background and Legal Proceedings
Rob Reiner, 78, the director of 'When Harry Met Sally', and his wife Michele, 70, were found dead in their Los Angeles home on December 14. Nick was arrested hours later and has been in custody without bail since. If convicted, he could face life in prison without parole or the death penalty.
Nick's original lawyer had 'no choice' but to quit, reportedly due to financial issues relating to inheritance. A trust named 'Nick's Trust' required half of the fund to be distributed to Nick 'outright when he turned 30', with the remainder due when he turned 35. However, it has been alleged that the mandatory distribution did not happen when he reached 30, despite 'months of repeated inquiries' to the trustee.
Family and Aftermath
It is thought Rob and Nick had an argument the night before the deaths, although the family denied it resulted in them leaving an event early. The couple's youngest child, Romy, found her father's body after being informed they had missed their massage therapist appointment, and later learned of her mother's death. She alerted police before calling actor Billy Crystal, who 'raced' to the scene to 'say his goodbyes'.
Tributes were penned by prominent figures including Barbra Streisand, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Whoopi Goldberg, Stephen King, Jimmy Kimmel, and Demi Moore.
