Los Angeles County DA Declines to Pursue Death Penalty in Nick Reiner Murder Case
Prosecutors said they will not seek capital punishment for Nick Reiner, who is charged with killing his parents, after reviewing aggravating and mitigating factors and consulting his siblings.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced that his office will not seek the death penalty against 33-year-old Nick Reiner, who faces two counts of first-degree murder for the killing of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner. Hochman said the decision followed a “rigorous review” of both aggravating and mitigating circumstances.
Reiner was indicted by a grand jury in July on the double-murder charges and additional special allegations that he was “lying in wait.” He has entered a not-guilty plea and, if convicted, could receive life imprisonment without parole.
The DA’s office cited consultations with law-enforcement officials and with Reiner’s siblings, Jake and Romy Reiner, who asked that the grand-jury indictment transcripts remain sealed to avoid further trauma. Hochman noted that the extensive pre-trial discovery and ongoing legal matters mean a trial is unlikely to start before next year.
"We will be presenting the evidence that we believe will convict Nick Reiner beyond a reasonable doubt of all the charges," Hochman said at a press briefing.