‘Cheeky’ Nick Reiner Grins During Parents’ Double Murder Hearing

On behalf of uh Mr. Riner, do you wave. for reading of the complaint adisement. of rights, including armed forces of. veterans rights, enter a plea of not. guilty, denying any and all special. allegations, enhancements, and priors? >> Yes, ma'am. >> A plea of not guilty is entered on. behalf of Mr. Reiner. >> Nick Reiner, seen in court on camera for. the first time since his arrest as he. pleads not guilty to his parents'. murders, looking gaunt with a shaved. head in a jail uniform. But what is even. more shocking than his appearance is the. case itself. As Reiner faces a possible.

death sentence if prosecutors choose to. seek capital punishment and did today. give us a hint as to where his defense. may go. I'm bringing on Johnny Depp's. lawyer Ben Chu to talk about this very. high-profile case of Hollywood meeting a. courtroom. Welcome to Sidebar, presented. by Law and Crime. I'm Jesse Weber. Today was a big day in the ongoing legal. saga of Nick Reiner. Okay, this has been. a long time coming, this arignment, because on Monday, the accused double.

murderer Nick Reiner appeared in a Los. Angeles County courtroom for his. official arraignment. It's been delayed. in the past on charges of first-degree. murder with special circumstances in the. killings of his parents, acclaimed film. director Rob Reiner and his wife. Michelle on December 14th. Now, this. isn't the first time that Reiner has. appeared in court since his arrest. In. fact, there were court sketches that. were released of his first appearance in. December, his initial arraignment date. in January, but cameras haven't been. allowed to show him to show Riner in.

court until today for his official. arraignment, which again marks a major. turning point in this horrific case. Remember, he faces these two counts of. first-degree murder, and those murder. charges include special circumstance. allegations of multiple murders and that. he personally used a deadly weapon, a. knife. And if prosecutors decide to. pursue a capital punishment in this. case, that's why these special. circumstances are so important. It could. justify that if he's convicted on these. charges, it could result in a possible. death sentence. Now, to be clear, as of.

now, there is no indication that. prosecutors are going the death penalty. route. Although I will tell you outside. of court today, it was reported that Los. Angeles County District Attorney Nathan. Hawkman emphasized again that this case. is in fact quote death penalty eligible. and indicated they are beginning the. process to determine if that is the. punishment they're looking at here. We. will be looking at all aggravating and. mitigating circumstances. And we have. invited defense council to present to us. both in writing and orally in a meeting.

any arguments that they would like to. make in consideration for our going. forward or not going forward with the. death penalty. So that is an ongoing. process. We will also at that point when. we get all this information, it will be. subject to not only a rigorous analysis, but many of the most experienced. individuals in the DA's office with. death penalty experience will be helping. me evaluate that information. >> But what we now know from Monday's. arraignment is that Riner's defense.

attorney, deputy public defender. Kimberly Green, has entered a not guilty. plea on Reiner's behalf. And he, by the. way, sat behind her with a glass. partition separating them. And it's also. worth noting, as I mentioned, that this. arraignment has been delayed. I mean, one of the reasons is you had Riner's. previous defense attorney, high-profile. criminal defense attorney Alan Jackson, withdrawing from the case back in. January. This was based on what he. called circumstances beyond his and his. clients control. And now, a public. defender has been put in his place. By. the way, I interviewed Alan Jackson on. my NewsNation show, Jesse Weber Live.

Seemed to me based on his answers that. he was suggesting that mental illness. could be the route that he was planning. on going as defense council. So possibly. insanity. There might be something else. there. Although I couldn't confirm for. sure he wouldn't say it. He shouldn't. say it. But based on his answers, that's. what I seem to indicate. Mental health. defense, insanity defense. Now, it is. also worth noting that Riner was not. wearing a suicide prevention smok during. Monday's hearing, which he had been. wearing during his first appearance back. in December. And while this doesn't give. a full picture into his current mental.

state, it can maybe indicate what safety. issues are present. It can indicate jail. personnel no longer believe he is a harm. to himself at this time maybe. But I. will tell you just saw a snippet of uh. Monday's arraignment. But right now I. want to play the entire hearing in court. so you can get the full scope of what. happened including the moment Riner. actually addresses the judge himself. Take a listen. >> How would you like to proceed at this. time council? The court has and I'll. just make a record. The court has we. addressed the request for media recover.

coverage off the record. Court just. orders that there's no live streaming. uh and no life transport, no life. transmission, and no filming of anyone. in the gallery. >> We'd like to go forward with the. arraignment and dis. >> Thank you. And on behalf of uh Mr. Winer, do you wave full reading of the. complaint adisement of rights, including. armed forces and veterans rights, enter. a plea of not guilty, denying any and. all special allegations, enhancements, and priors? >> Yes, sir. >> A plea of not guilty is entered on. behalf of Mr. Reiner. Uh council's. requesting.

>> April 29th as 03:30. April 29th, 2026 as. a zero of 30 calendar days. >> Yes. >> And uh Mr. May I take a waiver from your. client at this point? Mr. Riner, you are. entitled to a speedy preliminary. hearing. That's a preliminary hearing. within 10 court days and 60 calendar. days of your arraignment. Your. arraignment is today. Do you understand? wave and give up those rights so that. your matter may be continued to April. 29th, 2026 as a zero of 30 calendar days.

with the understanding that your. preliminary hearing may commence within. 30 calendar days of April 29th. >> Yes. >> And does council join in that waiver? >> I do. >> The court finds that Mr. Riner has made. a knowing and intelligent waiver of his. right to a speedy preliminary hearing. within 10 court days and 60 calendar. days and that his council of record. joins in that waiver. Independent agrees. that the next court date of April 29th, 2026 is a zero of 30 calendar days.

The matter is assigned to for all. purposes by the supervising judge of the. criminal master calendar. The matter is. assigned to uh for all purposes to judge. Sam Oda in department 108. Council rail. >> Yes, sir. >> It's bail set at no bail. Anything further on this case? >> Yes, for the record, your honor, people. have turned over to the defense the. large bulk of discovery. We are still. awaiting uh word from the coroner's.

office that they've completed the. autopsy report. Soon as we get it, we. will turn it over from the defense as. well as any other discovery that comes. in. >> Thank you. Anything? >> Uh your honor, I address with the court. uh the issue of the outstanding uh STS. We're asking that those be withdrawn at. this time. And those those uh those. subpoenas as referenced by the uh by the. defense are withdrawn ordered withdrawn. court. >> Thank you. Anything for. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> So here are the key takeaways from this.

latest hearing. First, Riner's next. court date is set for April 29th where a. judge is expected to set a date for his. preliminary hearing. And at the. preliminary hearing, the court will. determine whether there's enough. evidence to head to trial. So, we can. expect prosecutors to lay out all the. evidence or a lot of the evidence they. have so far in this case or from a legal. point of view enough to establish. there's probable cause to move forward. to trial. What we don't know is whether. this hearing is also going to include. cameras. So, we'll keep a close eye on. that, too. Prosecutors also mentioned. that they've turned over a large bulk of. discovery to the defense, but they're. still apparently waiting contact from.

the Los Angeles coroner's office on. completion of the autopsy reporter. reports. You know, from the preliminary. autopsy reports that were previously. released into the media, we learn the. manner of death for Rob and Michelle. Reiner was homicide. Cause of death was. multiple sharp force injuries. So, I am. curious what additional details the full. final autopsy report will show and. whether or not that will work towards. the prosecution's favor. Maybe give. something for the defense. But I will. also tell you this, the defense. indicated they withdrew subpoenas, though it's unclear who was included in.

those. So, you'd have to wonder if. something changed. Maybe they don't need. these witnesses anymore. Maybe something. was provided by prosecutors. Maybe. they're not going a certain strategy. Not entirely sure, but let's talk a. little bit more about it now. Okay, so. let me bring on a special guest, friend. of Sidebar. Haven't seen him in quite. some time. I'm joined right now by a. claim trial attorney, litigator, of. course, famously represented Johnny Depp. in his infamous trial. Uh Ben Chu, good. to see you, sir. Thank you so much for. taking the time. Um first, any surprise. today? I mean, not surprised that Nick.

Riner plead not guilty, right? No surprises today. I think he just said. one word, yes, pleading not guilty. Uh I. don't think there probably will be uh. many surprises at the next hearing. either at the preliminary hearing. >> Well, they set a date, I think, for when. the preliminary hearing is going to be. Let's actually take this step by step. Why would he wave a speedy preliminary. hearing? Why do that? My theory on that. is I think they are getting ready of. course to do the psychological analysis.

that will be necessary to plead insanity. >> and so that takes some time. >> I think it does take some time. I mean, there is an issue here, as you know, Jesse, of resources in light of the. California statute, the Slayer Act, that. essentially deprivives him of the assets. that he would have otherwise inherited. from his parents since the allegation. here is that he murdered his parents. He. doesn't have access to that, which is. why, of course, he doesn't have Allen.

Jackson anymore. I was just talking. about it before about why Allan Jackson. had to uh you know step down and due to. some conflict beyond his control and his. client's control. A lot of people have. wondered if whether or not it's about. resources or money, but just because. he's represented by a public defender. We did an episode uh previously about. it. I mean, she's a seasoned attorney. Um you know, the public defenders office. sometimes get gets a bad rep, but um I I. did want to ask you about we'll get back. to the preliminary hearing how he. looked. Now you ask me in my opinion he.

didn't look good. And when you look at. that it's not that he didn't just look. good. If you are talking about a case of. mental illness and trying to understand. why somebody would have killed his. parents like that. His appearance in. court today. How does that affect the. case moving forward? >> Oh I think it has a big impact. I think. as as you know from your own trial. experience I mean the jury is going to. be looking intently at him most of the. time and they're going to be making. their own assessment of his appearance. And I think, you know, we always tell. our clients, whenever you're in the.

courtroom, they're going to be eyes on. you. And I think unfortunately, he looks. the part of somebody who is severely. disturbed. >> Do you think that this is going to be a. tough case to defend, not only legally, but in order to get a fair and impartial. jury? >> I think that courts generally uh I I. think they they believe that they can. get a fair and impartial jury. I'm a big. believer, as I know you are, in the jury. system, and I I do think they can be. I. mean, obviously, the Riners are.

extremely known and beloved in Los. Angeles and probably throughout. California and the country, but I do. believe people understand the issue of. mental illness, and I I think they can. weigh it fairly. >> How much do you think Hollywood is going. to be a part of this? There's been so. much talk about the party the night. before the Riners uh were killed, and we. always talk about the celebrity aspect. of this. How much is that going to be a. part of this? >> It's such a good It's such a good. question. I I think subliminally it will.

be a part of it. And it it also I think. it'll be interesting to see what. decision the DA makes with respect to. the death penalty. As you know, it's. been two decades since California has. put anyone to death. I think the last. time was in January of 2006. And we all. believe that people should be neither. above nor below the law. And I think it. would raise a lot of questions if after. all this time California or the would be. seeking the death penalty here. It would.

beg the question of are you doing this. because the victims here happen to be. beloved celebrities. >> Well, that's a good point. What do you. think they're going to do? What do you. think prosecutors are going to do? I. mean, they talked about starting the. process. Um, emphasize this is a death. eligible case. Do you think they move. forward with that? They've already tried. to highlight special circumstances like. multiple murders and use of a knife. It's pretty horrific. You think they. move forward with the death penalty? >> You know, I I think that they won't. And. I think perhaps because of the reason.

that it would really I think it would. really beg the question. I think there. could be a real backlash there. And you. know, you have a governor of course. who's running probably for president. I. think all of that unfortunately either. will play a role or people will believe. that it played a role whether it did or. didn't. Uh but ultimately my guess and. it's only a guess is that they're not. going to go for the death penalty. >> I want to go back to that uh idea of the. preliminary hearing and he waved uh a. speedy preliminary hearing. There's a. lot we don't know about the evidence.

they have against him, right? I mean, there's the surveillance footage. They. talk about him checking uh into that. Santa Monica uh hotel. Um what was. allegedly found there. How much at a. preliminary hearing will prosecutors. reveal of the evidence they have? They. don't have to reveal everything, right? It's just enough to to substantiate. probable cause. But how much do you. think they're going to reveal? >> I think they're going to hold some. things back, Jesse, because as you know, all they need to to do is show. sufficient evidence to justify a trial,

and I think they already have that. Um, so I I think they may play their cards. close to the vest here, especially if if. I'm wrong and they do go for the death. penalty, they they they may leave some. things to later. Did you get a sense of. where the defense is going today or not. really? I mean, what did we learn? Right. They said that apparently certain. subpoenas they're withdrawing. Um, they. didn't say not guilty by reason of. insanity. Um, that's something that I. think a lot of people suspect. Two ways.

to look at that, right? Insanity. Not. guilty by reason of insanity. Let's say. you couldn't appreciate the wrongfulness. of your conduct. Uh, didn't know what. you were doing was legally or morally. wrong, right? Or a mental health. defense. If you're talking about. first-degree murder, some sort of mental. illness negated an element negated an. element of premeditation. Do you think. that's where they might be going? >> I I do. And I think they're waiting for. that to be completed. And that may also, you know, uh affect the decision on. whether to go for the death penalty. That could be an excuse or a reason for.

the DA to say, "Look, we're not going. for the death penalty here because there. is this element of mental defect." Which. I think clearly there is. And I think. your point you made earlier about the. courtappointed counsel is a very good. one. She is excellent. And the fact that. he doesn't have Allen Jackson doesn't. mean he doesn't have an outstanding. defense. And I think she was smart to. keep her cards close to the vest today. So I don't think we learned that much. today from her. >> Do you think that would be a successful.

a potentially successful defense? And I. know you don't know all the evidence in. the case or all the factors, but you're. talking about somebody who reportedly. was schizophrenic, suffered from. substance abuse, had allegedly mental. health issues. There was also this. report that his medications were. adjusted or changed before the killings. Um, and I don't know the exact. circumstances of that, but I wonder if. that's something that's going to be. explored and maybe uh could be. successfully explored by a defense. attorney. Jesse, I think it will in as.

far as mitigation. I mean, for example, if they do go for the death penalty, I. could see that being a reason for the. jury to, you know, to kick it down and. not impose the ultimate sanction. So, I. don't think it's going to get him off. the hook. I think a lot of jurors don't. really believe that, you know, psychology is as exact as science as. other sciences. So, I I think whether. that's right or wrong, I don't know. But. I don't think he's going to get off the. hook altogether. I think he's going to. spend the rest of his life in prison. >> It's a lot of pressure trying a case. like this, whether you're the.

prosecutors or defense attorneys. defending. It feels like a lot of. pressure. Feels like a lot of eyeballs. >> Oh, yeah. I I think they're both under. enormous pressure. Probably more so the. prosecutor because the public has. already, you know, condemned Reiner for. the death of his parents. So, I think. the public is expecting a guilty. verdict. So, in in a way, Riner's. council really has nothing to lose. because she's supposed to lose this. case. >> Well, I don't know. It's we're still in. the early stages. I'm very curious to. see what happens with this. Um, you.

know, I wanted to ask you that. considering there's a lot of pressure in. the Johnny Depp Amber Herd trial, let me. tell you. So, um, it's good to hear your. perspective on this. Uh, Ben, thank you. so much for taking the time. Always, always appreciate you. Thank you. >> Thanks so much. Thanks for having me. Anytime. >> That's all we have for you right now. here on Sidebar. Everybody, thank you so. much for joining us. And as always, please subscribe on YouTube, Apple. Podcast, Spotify, wherever you should. get your podcast. You can also check us. out on NBC's Peacock. We have our. episodes up there as well if you want to. follow me. X Instagram, my NewsNation. show, Jesse Weber Live, Monday through.

Friday, 11:00 p.m. Eastern. I'll see you. next time, everybody.