Nick Reiner He has reportedly yet to receive any visits from his family in prison after being accused of killing his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner.
Relatives are said to be keeping their distance as they try to come to terms with the charges against him, while also mourning the deaths of Rob Reiner and Michelle Reiner.
The defendant is due back in court on February 23 and will be represented by a public defender after his high-profile lawyer suddenly withdrew.
Nick Renner’s family still hasn’t come to grips with the fact that he’s suspected of murdering his parents
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Nick Reiner was arrested last December on suspicion of murdering his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, at their home in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California.
He is currently incarcerated at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility, and family members reportedly have not contacted him or visited the prison.
Now a source has explained why the family are keeping their distance amid the ongoing legal proceedings ahead of Nick’s murder trial.
“This is not a misunderstanding or a minor scandal,” an insider told Rob Shuter’s #ShuterScoop. “He killed their parents. That changes everything.”
Another source said the family’s feelings were one of “sadness over fear”, while suggesting they were yet to accept the murder charges against Nick.
“They’re grieving their parents but also trying to understand what he did. You don’t just walk into the visiting room afterwards,” the source said.
Some family members think it’s too early to visit Nick Lehner
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Early in Nick’s imprisonment, as is customary in such cases, he was placed on suicide watch.
The alleged murderer has been taken off suicide watch and can now have visitors if he wishes.
However, he is unlikely to have any visitors as some of his relatives believe it is too early to do so. That stance is also said to be unlikely to change, given the seriousness of the allegations against him.
“It’s still early days, and for some of these people it’s probably always going to be too early,” an insider reportedly said.
Siblings of accused killer’s son are using silence to establish ‘boundaries’
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Nick is the eldest son of Rob and Michelle Reiner, who have two other children, Max and Robbie.
As Nick awaits trial, his siblings and several other relatives are forced to watch in shock as the family remains under intense public scrutiny.
For all of them, the method of choice was “silence.” This was reportedly not an act of punishment or revenge against Nick, but rather as a way to establish necessary boundaries.
“Silence does not mean cruelty,” one source said. “It’s about boundaries. It’s about surviving the unimaginable.”
The Lehner family reportedly wants Nick Lehner’s medical history to remain private
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It was previously reported that Nick’s family were deeply concerned about the possibility of further details of his medical history being made public.
Suggestions that the defendant was diagnosed with schizophrenia have caused an uproar since his arrest, something the family never wanted to see as they deliberately withheld these details from the public to protect their safety.
“They’re trying very hard to keep these issues under wraps and no one knows,” a source told Rob Schuette.
If more information about Nick’s medical history is released, it is expected to take a heavy emotional toll on Nick’s family, who remain deeply worried about Nick despite the distance.
“This is more than just a legal case, it’s a family tragedy,” another source said. “They are afraid of what will happen if everything becomes public and the damage it will cause to everyone who loves Rob, Michelle and Nick.”
Rob Reiner’s accused slaying son has yet to enter plea to murder charge
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Nick has not yet entered a plea to two counts of murder under special circumstances, but he may do so when he returns to court on February 23.
He is currently being represented by a public defender after his high-profile attorney, Alan Jackson, abruptly withdrew from serving as his attorney during a hearing last month.
This forced the hearing to be rescheduled for said date to give the public defender time to expedite the case.
Following a guilty plea, additional hearings are expected as well as other court proceedings, such as the exchange of evidence between the parties, potential motions regarding the defendant’s mental health and arguments over the admissibility of evidence.
Eventually, Nick will go on trial and could face the death penalty if found guilty.
