Why Nick Reiner's Former Attorney Alan Jackson Withdrew From Murder Case

During Jackson's Jan. 7 announcement, he confirmed that Nick—who was formally charged with two counts of first-degree murder with a special circumstance of multiple murders—would be assigned a public defender in the case. (Nick's arraignment has been postponed until Feb. 23 following Jackson's withdrawal.)

And the 60-year-old—who previously said that he believes Nick is not guilty under California law—was sure to praise Nick's new counsel Kimberly Greene.

"I have a lot of faith in the public defender's office," he said on the Jan. 12 episode of the Hot Mics with Billy Bush podcast. "I have a lot of faith in their representation, they're outstanding, outstanding, legal professionals."

"I was doing a favor to the truth," he continued. "We had worked at that time, it was about three weeks almost to the day, we had worked tirelessly. Nearly every waking hour, our entire team, and you saw the team behind me."

Photo by Jae C. Hong-Pool/Getty Images Photo by Laura Cavanaugh/FilmMagic

Jackson felt it was necessary to emphasize his beliefs regarding Nick's innocence after his announcement.

"It was important for me to write some wrongs that had been printed, lots of speculation, lots of people who want to believe certain things," he explained. "Obviously, something happened with my ability, and my team's ability, to continue the representation, but I don't want you, your audience, or anybody else to start speculating as to what that might be. I have not said a word about it."

As for whether Jackson would consider rejoining Nick's legal team? As he put it, "The withdrawal is in the books, the court has relieved me of his counsel, and that's where it stands, moving forward."

For a closer look at the investigation into Rob and Michele's murders, read on.

Years before Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner’s tragic deaths, their son Nick Reiner shared that he struggled with addiction, even collaborating with his father on the 2015 film Being Charlie about substance abuse.

Nick explained that he had been to rehab 17 times before turning 30.

“I was homeless in Maine. I was homeless in New Jersey. I was homeless in Texas,” he told People in 2016. “I spent nights on the street. I spent weeks on the street. It was not fun.”

Two years later, Nick recalled an instance when he “wrecked” his home while high on drugs.

“I went 10 rounds in my guest house,” he shared on the Dopey podcast in 2018. “I got totally spun out on uppers—I think it was coke and something else—and I was up for days on end. I started punching out some things in my guest house.”

The When Harry Met Sally director and his 32-year-old son got into a heated argument at Conan O’Brien’s Christmas party on Dec. 13, multiple sources at the event told People. Family friends also confirmed to the L.A. Times that Rob and Nick fought at the holiday celebration, saying that guests noticed Nick acting strangely.

Two sources with knowledge of the situation told NBC News that Nick was being disruptive at the party and interrupting conversations.

"I saw them night before last looking healthy and happy," the actress wrote on Instagram Dec. 15. "I am reeling with grief. Stunned."

The day after the Christmas party, the Los Angeles Police Department responded to a call of a death investigation at a home in Brentwood, Calif., at about 3:40 p.m. on Dec. 14.

“Once inside the residence, officers discovered two victims,” the LAPD said in a press release, “who were subsequently identified as Robert and Michele Reiner.”

The Robbery Homicide Division, Homicide Special Section (RHD/HSS) started an investigation into the circumstances of their deaths.

Deputy Police Chief Alan Hamilton told reporters that many family members would be interviewed, per NBC News. In addition to Nick, the couple are parents to daughter Romy Reiner and son Jake Reiner, and Rob also adopted late ex-wife Penny Marshall's daughter Tracy Reiner.

It was determined that Rob and Michele did not die of natural causes, with a source close to the Reiner family telling NBC News that the couple appeared to have died from stab wounds.

“As a result of the initial investigation,” the LAPD said in a press release, “it was determined that the Reiners were the victims of homicide.”

While police investigated the case, Nick was filmed buying a Gatorade at an ARCO gas station in downtown Los Angeles near USC around 9 p.m. Dec. 14. He was wearing a green jacket, jeans and a ballcap while carrying a red backpack, as seen in footage obtained by MS NOW.

Minutes later, the screenwriter was taken into custody near USC.

The LAPD said their investigation determined that Rob and Michele's son was "responsible for their deaths.”

“Nick Reiner was located and arrested at approximately 9:15 p.m.,” police said in a press release, adding as of Dec. 15, “He was booked for murder and remains in custody with no bail.”

During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live Dec. 15, Michelle Obama revealed that she and husband Barack Obama were supposed to see Rob and Michele on the day they were found dead.

Two days after Nick was arrested in connection to the murder of his parents, criminal defense attorney Alan Jackson—who previously represented Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey and Karen Read—confirmed to E! News Dec. 16 that he had been hire as Nick's attorney in the case.

As officials gathered at a Los Angeles courthouse Dec. 16 to announce formal charges against Nick, his attorney told reporters that the screenwriter "has not been medically cleared" to appear in front of a judge.

“Every inmate has to be medically cleared before they can be transported to court," he explained to reporters, per MS NOW. “Hopefully, he’ll be cleared tomorrow and we can get him here.”

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced on Dec. 16 that his office plans to formally charge Nick with "two counts of first-degree murder with a special circumstance of multiple murders."

The D.A. also confirmed Nick will also face a "special allegation that he personally used a dangerous and deadly weapon, that being a knife" on his parents.

He added, "These charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty."

Nick was formally charged Dec. 16.

Though Rob and Michele's bodies were discovered around 3 p.m. on Dec. 14, they were likely killed around 12 hours prior, according to authorities.

The district attorney said in a Dec. 16 press release that the murders took place "in approximately the early morning hours of December 14."

Nick is accused of "fatally stabbing" his parents, per the D.A. press release on Dec. 16. He allegedly "personally used a dangerous and deadly weapon, a knife" in the murders.

On Dec. 17, Nick appeared in court for the first time, arriving to the Los Angeles Supreme Court in a blue anti-suicide smock and shackles. He did not enter a plea to his charges during the appearance, instead agreeing to a date of Jan. 7 for the arraignment.

The medical examiner determined Dec. 17 Rob and Michele each died by "multiple sharp force injuries," meaning several cuts or stabs from a sharp object.

At Nick's scheduled arraignment Jan. 7, 2026, his attorney Alan Jackson announced he has withdrawn from the case and Nick will get a public defender, according to an MS NOW reporter in the courtroom.

In response, the Reiner family told E! News in a statement that they "have the utmost trust in the legal process and will not comment further on matters related to the legal proceedings."

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