Prosecutors won't seek death penalty against Nick Reiner in killing of parents Rob and Michele Reiner
District Attorney Nathan Hochman is expected to reveal new developments.
Prosecutors will not seek the death penalty against Nick Reiner, who is facing murder charges in the deaths of his parents Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman made the announcement Tuesday, ahead of Reiner's scheduled appearance before a judge for a pre-trial hearing.
Hochman said his office made the decision after speaking with members of the Reiner family and a "rigorous review" of the case.
Reiner, 33, has been held without bail on two first-degree murder charges since December.
If convicted, Reiner faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole.
A trial date could potentially be set during Tuesday's hearing, but Hochman said that it is not likely to take place before 2027.
Film director Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Reiner were stabbed to death in their home in the upscale Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles on Dec. 14. Reiner, their youngest son, was arrested within hours and charged two days later.
Last month, a grand jury indictment was unsealed in the case. The indictment added the allegation that he was lying in wait before killing them. Reiner has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him.
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.
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 made Reiner eligible for the death penalty, but prosecutors have now said they will not seek that.
“This case is absolutely headed for trial,” said legal expert Neama Rahmani. “I think there’s no world where Nathan Hochman and the district attorney’s office offers any type of discount."
Reiner, who is currently being represented by a public defender, is looking to access more than $500,000 he says he's owed from a trust fund, saying he wants to use that money for his legal defense.
Just last month, Nick’s older brother, Jake Reiner, spoke exclusively to ABC7 in his first sit-down interview since his parents were killed.
He talked about the night of his parent’s killings, his brother’s arrest, his parent’s humanitarian work and how he's been trying to move forward since the tragedy.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
