The tragic passing of Rob and Michele Reiner shocked the world, with their own son, Nick Reiner, being charged with two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances.
New information has continued to emerge, and now, TMZ is releasing a television special that will delve into what happened.
“TMZ Investigates: The Reiner Murders: What Really Happened” is set to premiere on Fox on Friday, Jan. 9 at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT. It will be available to stream on Hulu the following day.
Nick Reiner’s Attorney Withdrew From The Case
Nick was set to be arraigned on Wednesday, Jan. 7, but it has been pushed back once again after his attorney, Alan Jackson, withdrew from the case that same day.
“We would ask to withdrawal as counsel of record. We have no choice but to withdraw and ask to be relieved,” Jackson told Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Theresa McGonigle, according to Page Six.
“Uh, yeah, I agree with that,” Nick replied before leaving the courtroom.
Jackson also took a moment to address reporters outside the courthouse following this shocking announcement.
“Circumstances beyond our control, but more importantly, circumstances beyond Nick’s control have dictated that,” Jackson said (per Fox News). “Sadly, it’s made it impossible for us to continue our representation of Nick. I’m legally, and I’m ethically prohibited from explaining all the reasons why.”
“We’ve investigated this matter top to bottom, back to front,” he added. “What we’ve learned – and you can take this to the bank – is that pursuant to the laws of this state, pursuant to the law in California, Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder — print that.”
Nick is now being represented by a public defender named Kimberly Greene. His new arraignment date is scheduled for Feb. 23.
Nick Reiner’s Medication Played Large Part In His Actions
GettyTMZ recently reported that Nick had a mental breakdown before murdering his parents, which was directly tied to the decision by doctors to change his medication.
Nick was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder in 2020, which is described by the outlet as a “condition that manifests itself with schizophrenia symptoms — including delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized thinking — and mood disorder symptoms, including mania and severe depression.”
Prior to the murders, Nick was on stable medication for this disorder, and they were working “just fine,” but the doctors still decided to change the medication, TMZ added. Because of the change, he became “agitated, erratic, and increasingly dangerous,” with Rob and Michele reportedly being “alarmed at what they were seeing.”
