Shortly after Rob Reiner’s son Nick Reiner appeared in court for his arraignment on February 23, 2026, TMZ reported that his siblings Romy and Jake are “no longer helping” in his murder defense.
Nick, 32, is charged with the December 14, 2025 murder of his parents, Rob and Michele. On Monday, he pleaded not guilty to the charges and waived his right to a speedy trial. He was denied bail.
The TMZ report says the outlet learned Jake and Romy are “no longer footing the bill for his defense.” The story goes on to say connected sources revealed that Nick’s siblings have no plan to pay for a private criminal defense lawyer.
The outlet says Romy and Jake previously hired defense lawyer Alan Jackson. Jackson is known for recently securing an acquittal in the 2025 high-profile murder trial of Karen Read.
The story says Jackson withdrew from Nick’s case after an “undisclosed disagreement.”
At Monday’s arraignment, Nick was represented by Deputy Public Defender Kimberly Greene, who was appointed in January. TMZ quoted a source as saying, “Nick’s defense is Nick’s defense. They’re not involved,” about Romy and Jake.
Nick Reiner’s Previous Attorney Alan Jackson Made a Decisive Statement Before Withdrawing from the Case
GettyNick’s former attorney, Alan Jackson, unequivocally declared to the press on January 7 that Nick Reiner is not guilty. He said, “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 we wish him the very, very best.”
Jackson also hinted at his reasons for withdrawing, saying, “Circumstances beyond our control, but more importantly, circumstances beyond Nick’s control have dictated that. 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.”
What Romy & Jake Reiner Have Said About the Loss of Their Parents Rob & Michele
People reported on December 17, 2025 that Romy and Jake shared a statement with the magazine that read, “Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day. The horrific and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something that no one should ever experience. They weren’t just our parents; they were our best friends.”
The statement continued, “We are grateful for the outpouring of condolences, kindness, and support we have received not only from family and friends but people from all walks of life. We now ask for respect and privacy, for speculation to be tempered with compassion and humanity, and for our parents to be remembered for the incredible lives they lived and the love they gave.”
Was he abused by his father in different ways? What was the argument about the night before? Was he on drugs? Autistic?
He is schizophrenic and was going through a medication change, while still using drugs, as well.