New indictment alleges Nick Reiner was lying in wait before killing parents Rob and Michele Reiner

New Indictment Alleges Nick Reiner Was Lying in Wait Before Killing Parents

Qwenews.com – A Los Angeles County grand jury has indicted Nick Reiner on murder charges in the killings of his parents, actor Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner. The new indictment alleges Nick Reiner was lying in wait before attacking them. The grand jury, which had been meeting in secret, returned the indictment on July 20, and it was unsealed Wednesday, when 32-year-old Nick Reiner entered a not guilty plea. Rob Reiner, a director, actor and Hollywood luminary, and his wife, a photographer and producer, were stabbed to death in their home in the upscale Brentwood section of Los Angeles on Dec. 14.

Nick Reiner was arrested within hours and charged two days later. The grand jury indictment is a major step toward trial and allows prosecutors to skip California’s preliminary hearing process, where evidence is publicly aired.

What Does ‘Lying in Wait’ Mean?

Lying in wait means a suspect waited for or hid from victims in order to ambush them, and as an allegation it’s meant to show premeditation. A finding that he was lying in wait along with a murder conviction would make Reiner eligible for the death penalty, but prosecutors said they haven’t decided whether to seek it. “This was a profound betrayal by someone who was loved and trusted by the very people he is accused of killing,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said in a statement.

“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.” The unsealed indictment reveals few new details in a case that has been shrouded in secrecy. It does not explain how or why Reiner was lying in wait. It also includes an allegation that he used a knife in the killing, but authorities have said previously that the couple was stabbed.

Prosecutors have said nothing about possible motives, and leaks in the case have been virtually nonexistent on both sides. The Los Angeles County chief medical examiner told The Associated Press he would like to make their autopsy reports public, but a court order has prevented him from doing so. The new indictment alleges Nick Reiner is seeking unpaid money from a trust his parents established for him, saying he needs it to help in his defense.

Reiner said in a court petition that the trustees who oversee the funds have denied them to him without legal justification. The money was to have gone to Nick Reiner even if his parents were alive, legal filings say. The petition says the trust has at least $1.5 million in assets, but trustees would not share the exact amount.

“Nick loved his parents, and he is devastated by their deaths. But the facts about what did and did not happen to them are not at issue,” the petition says.

He is seeking to hire back high-profile criminal defense attorney Alan Jackson, who initially represented him before Reiner’s siblings would no longer agree to fund his defense and a public defender took over. A hearing on the petition is set for later this month. The LA County Public Defender’s Office, which is representing Reiner, declined to comment on the new indictment alleges Nick Reiner case.

California prosecutors can charge a defendant and take the case through a preliminary hearing — a sort of trial in miniature where evidence is publicly aired and a judge decides whether it should be sent to trial — as recently happened with singer D4vd. Or they can use a grand jury to go through the process in secret. They can also publicly file charges and later seek a secret grand jury indictment, essentially creating a new version of the case, as happened here and in the Los Angeles prosecution of Harvey Weinstein.

Rob Reiner began as an actor, starring in the TV sitcom, “All in the Family,” as Michael “Meathead” Stivic, the liberal son-in-law to a much more conservative and bigoted Archie Bunker, played by Carroll O’Connor. Reiner won two Emmy Awards for the role, and last month got a posthumous Emmy nomination for his work as a guest star on “The Bear.” He became a prolific director whose work included some of the most memorable and endlessly watchable movies of the 1980s and ’90s. His credits included “This is Spinal Tap,” “Stand By Me,” “A Few Good Men,” and “When Harry Met Sally…,” during the production of which he met photographer Michele Singer. They wed soon after and were married for 36 years.

Nick Reiner was the second of the three children they had together. He and his father co-wrote the script for the 2015 film “Being Charlie,” which was partly based on the son’s teenage struggles with addiction and homelessness. His older brother Jake Reiner wrote in April that the experience of losing his parents and having his brother at the center of it was “a living nightmare” that is “too devastating to comprehend.”

Frequently Asked Questions

What charges is Nick Reiner facing?

Nick Reiner is facing murder charges in the deaths of his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner. The new indictment alleges Nick Reiner was lying in wait before the attack, which could make him eligible for the death penalty if convicted.

When was the indictment unsealed?

The grand jury returned the indictment on July 20, and it was officially unsealed on Wednesday, the same day Nick Reiner entered a not guilty plea.

Is Nick Reiner seeking money from his parents’ trust?

Yes. Nick Reiner filed a court petition seeking unpaid money from a trust his parents established for him, claiming he needs the funds to help with his legal defense. The trust reportedly holds at least $1.5 million in assets.

What does “lying in wait” mean in this case?

In legal terms, “lying in wait” means a suspect waited for or hid from victims in order to ambush them. This allegation suggests premeditation in the killings.

Will prosecutors seek the death penalty?

Prosecutors have not yet decided whether to seek the death penalty. A finding that Nick Reiner was lying in wait along with a murder conviction would make him eligible for this punishment.