The attorney representing Nick Reiner in the high-profile killings of his parents, filmmaker Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Reiner, has abruptly withdrawn from the case — but not without first making a striking declaration of confidence in his now-ex-client’s innocence.
In a brief statement following his exit, the defense attorney insisted that the evidence would ultimately clear Nick Reiner, a claim that added a new and unexpected turn to a case already drawing intense public scrutiny because of the victims’ prominence and the severity of the allegations.
According to CBS News, the defense attorney representing Reiner, Alan Jackson, abruptly withdrew from the case during what was scheduled to be a Wednesday arraignment.
Despite stepping aside, the lawyer made a forceful public assertion of his former client’s innocence, telling reporters, “Take this to the bank. Pursuant to the law in California, Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder.”
“Print that! Print that!” he ordered reporters.
NewsNation’s @connellmcshane and @jessecordweber discuss celebrity attorney Alan Jackson backing out of serving as counsel to Nick Reiner, whose arraignment was postponed until February.
More: https://t.co/Jo0XXgb4TX pic.twitter.com/DKeLxiyiRg— NewsNation (@NewsNation) January 8, 2026
Reiner, 32, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances stemming from the Dec. 14 killings of his parents at their home in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles.
According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, both Rob and Michele Reiner died from multiple sharp force injuries, consistent with stabbing.
The court appearance was expected to include Reiner entering a plea, but those proceedings were halted when Jackson informed the judge that he and his team were withdrawing from representation.
“We feel that we have no choice at this juncture but to withdraw as counsel,” Jackson told the court, prompting the judge to postpone the arraignment.
Cameras were not permitted to show Reiner in the courtroom, but reporters present described him as standing in shackles with a shaved head, wearing a brown jail-issued jumpsuit.
Jackson, a high-profile defense attorney known for securing an acquittal in the Karen Read murder case and for previously representing disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein, did not explain the reason for his withdrawal.
Speaking outside the courthouse, he told reporters that leaving the case was one of the most painful decisions of his legal career, offering no further elaboration.
Jackson said his decision to step away from the case was compelled by factors he described as “circumstances beyond our control, but more importantly, circumstances beyond Nick’s control.”
Those issues, he said, left his team with no viable path to continue representing Reiner, calling the outcome regrettable but unavoidable.
Jackson remained tight-lipped and stressed that he was “legally and ethically prohibited” from offering any further explanation for the withdrawal.
With Jackson and his co-counsel no longer on the case, responsibility for Reiner’s defense has been transferred to the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office. Deputy Public Defender Kimberly Greene has been assigned as lead counsel moving forward.
Reiner will remain in custody as the case proceeds.
He is being held without bail, and his arraignment has been postponed to Feb. 23, when he is next expected to appear in court under his new legal representation.
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