• Two of Rob Reiner’s children asked for “respect and privacy” after their brother’s court appearance.
• Rob Reiner, 78, and his wife Michele Singer Reiner were found fatally stabbed at their Los Angeles home.
• Their son, Nick Reiner, 32, was arrested and faces two counts of first-degree murder; he did not enter a plea.
• The family asked the public to temper speculation and remember their parents’ lives.
What happened
Rob Reiner, the actor-director known for films like When Harry Met Sally and This Is Spinal Tap, and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found fatally stabbed in the master bedroom of their Los Angeles home over the weekend, authorities said. Shortly after 9 p.m. Sunday, Los Angeles police located the couple and later arrested their son, 32-year-old Nick Reiner, in University Park.
Family speaks out
On Wednesday Jake and Romy Reiner — two of Rob and Michele’s children — issued a brief statement asking for “respect and privacy” as the family grieves. “Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day,” they said. They described their parents as “not just our parents; they were our best friends” and thanked the public for condolences and support.
The siblings asked that “speculation be tempered with compassion and humanity” and that their parents “be remembered for the incredible lives they lived and the love they gave.”
Court appearance and charges
Nick Reiner made a brief appearance in a Los Angeles courthouse but did not enter a plea. He faces two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstance allegations of multiple murders and an allegation of using a deadly weapon, a knife. His arraignment has been rescheduled for Jan. 7.
Video: Nick Reiner makes first court appearance
https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/nick-reiner-makes-first-court-appearance-for-charges-connected-to-parents-murders-254619205790
What the defense says
Defense attorney Alan Jackson told reporters that Reiner had not been medically cleared in time for an earlier hearing and that “very, very complex and serious issues” are associated with the case. Jackson urged the public and media to allow the legal process to move forward without jumping to conclusions and to treat the family with dignity.
What comes next
Investigators and prosecutors will continue to prepare for the upcoming arraignment and any further hearings. The special circumstance designation could make Reiner eligible for harsher sentencing if convicted. For now, the family has asked for privacy while they mourn and urged that their parents’ lives be honored rather than reduced to headlines.
The case has drawn intense public attention because of Rob Reiner’s high profile in Hollywood, but authorities and the family emphasized the need for restraint as the criminal process unfolds. The defense and prosecution will exchange evidence and legal filings in the weeks ahead as the court calendar moves toward the January arraignment.
Image Referance: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/rob-reiners-children-speak-brothers-hearing-parents-murder-rcna249726
