The Accused Killer Speaks: Nick Reiner's Three-Word Statement During First Court Appearance Revealed... After He's Charged With Brutally Murdering Parents Rob and Michele
Nick Reiner made his first court appearance Wednesday.
Dec. 17 2025, Published 2:51 p.m. ET
Nick Reiner said only three words during his first court appearance after being charged with the deaths of his parents, beloved actor/director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Rider, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The 32-year-old faces two counts of first-degree murder and could be sentenced to death if convicted.
Nick is Being Held Without Bail
Nick is charged with the murder if his father, Rob Reiner, and mother, Michele.
Nick appeared in court on Wednesday, December 17, with no shirt and in shackles, and he was wearing what appeared to be a suicide prevention vest or smock.
He waived his right to a speedy arraignment and did not yet enter a formal plea. Instead, he only spoke when Judge Theresa McGonigle asked if he understood he had the right to a speedy trial.
The stone-faced son simply said: "Yes, your honor."
Nick will remain in jail without bail until his next court appearance in early January.
A Complex Case
Nick has admitted to having a troubled childhood.
Outside the courthouse, after his appearance, his attorney, Alan Jackson, told reporters: "This is a devastating tragedy that has befallen the Reiner family. We all recognize that. Our hearts go out to the entire Reiner family."
He also called on everyone not to jump to conclusions or rush to judgment.
"There are very, very complex and serious issues that are associated with this case," he added. "Those need to be thoroughly, but very carefully, dealt with, and examined and looked at, and analyzed."
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Problems
Nick was seen being arrested on the ground.
As Radar has reported, Nick has battled mental health and substance abuse problems for years and dealt with periods of homelessness, and has spoken publicly about his long-standing struggles.
In 2015, he wrote the screenplay for Being Charlie, a semi-autobiographical film directed by his father about addiction and recovery.
In a 2016 interview, Nick described his years of instability due to his drug issues, saying: "I was homeless in Maine. I was homeless in New Jersey. I was homeless in Texas… I spent nights on the street. I spent weeks on the street. It was not fun."
He added: "If I wanted to do it my way and not go to the programs they were suggesting, then I had to be homeless."
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Nick Faces the Death Penalty
Mourners have left flowers and notes at Rob's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Nick was officially charged with two counts of first-degree murder "with a special circumstance of multiple murders and use of a deadly weapon" for allegedly killing his parents.
He faces a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole if found guilty, while the death penalty is not out of the question if he's convicted.
The "special circumstances" enhancement can lead to stiffer sentencing for Nick if he is convicted of slaughtering his parents at their Brentwood, California, mansion.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced on Tuesday, December 16, the death penalty will be on the table if Nick is found guilty of the double murder. Still, he hasn't made a final decision on that yet.
However, no executions have been carried out in California since 2006, and in 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom imposed a moratorium on carrying out the death penalty.
