RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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A Los Angeles grand jury has indicted Nick Reiner on charges he murdered his parents , the celebrated Hollywood director Rob Reiner and photographer-philanthropist Michele Reiner, last December in the family's Brentwood home.
The indictment, returned last month but unsealed Wednesday, allows prosecutors to bypass a public preliminary hearing where they otherwise would have to present witness testimony to persuade a judge there's enough probable cause to warrant a trial. After the secret indictment was unsealed, Nick pleaded not guilty Wednesday to two counts of murder with a new special circumstance allegation of murder by means of lying in wait, prosecutors said. He also faces a special allegation that he personally used a dangerous and deadly weapon, a knife. His next hearing is set for Sept. 15.
"This was a profound betrayal by someone who was loved and trusted by the very people he is accused of killing," L.A. County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said. "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."
Grand jury indictments are relatively rare in Los Angeles County, and former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani, president of West Coast Trial Lawyers, said prosecutors may have pursued one in part to obtain testimony from celebrity witnesses.
The night before Rob and Michele were found dead, they attended a holiday party at comedian Conan O'Brien's home attended by a host of A-list names, including close Reiner family friend Billy Crystal. Sources previously told Rolling Stone that Nick Reiner attended the party with his parents and appeared to exhibit antisocial behavior. Rahmani said Nick's interactions with guests at the party could be used as evidence of motive.
"This case has a lot of celebrity witnesses. This was Conan O'Brien's Christmas party. There were so many people there," Rahmani said. "If prosecutors are alleging 'lying in wait,' they're arguing this was premeditated, possibly from the night before. …So, if there were witnesses who saw an argument, that could be critical." Editor’s picks The 250 Greatest Albums of the 21st Century So Far The 100 Best TV Episodes of All Time The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century
Rahmani said the prospect of putting several Hollywood heavyweights on the stand at a public preliminary hearing likely posed logistical challenges and the risk of creating "a circus." Avoiding that spectacle, he said, may have been one reason prosecutors sought the grand jury indictment instead.
Nick was arrested Dec. 14, 2025, just hours after his parents' bodies were found dead in the primary bedroom of their home in the upscale Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, police said. Rob Reiner, who acted in the groundbreaking sitcom All in the Family before directing the hit movies This Is Spinal Tap , Stand by Me , and The Princess Bride , and Michele Reiner, who met her husband on the set of his classic comedy When Harry Met Sally, died from "multiple sharp force injuries," the county medical examiner said. Nick was initially charged with two counts of first-degree murder , with prosecutors identifying the alleged murder weapon as a knife.
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