Courts and Crime
The indictment means there will be no public preliminary hearing with witness testimony ahead of a possible full-blown trial
A Los Angeles grand jury has indicted Nick Reiner on charges he murdered his parents, the celebrated Hollywood director Rob Reiner and photographer-philanthropist Michele Reiner, last December in the family’s Brentwood home.
The indictment, unsealed Wednesday, allows prosecutors to bypass a public preliminary hearing where they otherwise would have to present witness testimony to persuade a judge there’s enough probable cause to warrant a trial. After the secret indictment was unsealed, Nick pleaded not guilty Wednesday to two counts of murder with the special circumstance allegations of multiple murders and murder by means of lying in wait, prosecutors said. He also faces a special allegation that he personally used a dangerous and deadly weapon, a knife. His next hearing is set for Sept. 15.
“This was a profound betrayal by someone who was loved and trusted by the very people he is accused of killing,” L.A. County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said. “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.”
