Nick Reiner needs money. A lot of it. He's facing two counts of first-degree murder. He just lost his high-profile attorney. And he's now being represented by a public defender who had less than 24 hours to prepare.

Meanwhile, his parents' estate — estimated at $200 million — sits untouched.

California's slayer statute says you can't inherit from someone you killed. It's supposed to be straightforward. But there's a catch: the statute only bars inheritance for "felonious and intentional" killings. Nick hasn't been convicted. And if his defense was headed toward an insanity plea — which Alan Jackson strongly hinted at before withdrawing — there's a legal question that hasn't been answered: Does an NGRI verdict exempt someone from the slayer statute?

If Nick is found not guilty by reason of insanity, he technically didn't "intend" to kill anyone. Does that mean he could still inherit?

Estate lawyers say this is largely untested. But it raises serious questions about why the family reportedly funded an insanity-focused defense in the first place — and why they stopped.

In this episode, we break down Nick's legal options for accessing the estate, explain what his siblings can do to block him, and examine why losing Alan Jackson may have closed the only door Nick had left.

$200 million. No lawyer. No income. What happens now?

#NickReiner #RobReiner #MicheleReiner #ReinerMurderCase #SlayerStatute #InsanityDefense #AlanJackson #Parricide #TrueCrime #ReinerFamily

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This publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.

Attorney and former prosecutor Eric Faddis joins us to analyze the legal strategy behind two high-profile insanity defenses — and the judges caught in the middle of both cases.

Nick Reiner's defense attorney Alan Jackson just quit the case after three weeks, but not before telling reporters that Nick is "NOT guilty of murder" under California law. He's signaling an insanity defense built on Nick's reported schizophrenia diagnosis and a medication change that allegedly caused his behavior to become "erratic and dangerous" in the weeks before his parents were killed. But California's M'Naghten standard is brutal — the defense must prove Nick couldn't understand what he was doing or couldn't tell right from wrong at the exact moment of the crime. Eric explains how this two-phase trial works, what happens when a public defender inherits a capital case mid-investigation, and whether the facts here are too messy to meet the legal threshold.

Then we turn to Kentucky, where Mickey Stines is charged with murdering Judge Kevin Mullins on video in his own chambers. The defense is also pursuing insanity — but now the presiding judge, Christopher Cohron, is facing a recusal motion. Video has surfaced showing Cohron seated next to the victim at a mental health commission meeting just seven days before the killing. He never disclosed it. He's also blocking the defense from accessing a sealed psychiatric evaluation. Eric breaks down the legal standard for recusal, what happens if the Chief Justice has to intervene, and why this case could be headed for a complete reset.

#NickReiner #MickeyStines #InsanityDefense #JudgeRecusal #EricFaddis #MurderTrial #CaliforniaLaw #KentuckyLaw #TrueCrime #LegalAnalysis

This video is for commentary and entertainment purposes only. All accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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Alan Jackson quit as Nick Reiner's attorney today. But before he left, he delivered a statement that will define this case: "Pursuant to the laws of California, Nick Reiner is NOT guilty of murder. Print that."

That's not a withdrawal. That's a roadmap — one Jackson can no longer follow.

This comprehensive breakdown examines the three legal battles ahead for Nick Reiner. First: competency. Can Nick even participate in his own defense? Sources say he was being treated for schizophrenia, with medication changes in the weeks before the killings. If found incompetent, the criminal case pauses until he's restored. Second: the guilt phase, where the jury decides if he committed the act. Third: the sanity trial — where Jackson's words would have applied.

California uses the M'Naghten Rule, one of the strictest insanity standards in the country. The defense must prove Nick couldn't understand what he was doing or couldn't distinguish right from wrong at the exact moment of the crime. Having schizophrenia isn't enough. Having a diagnosis isn't enough. Less than one percent of defendants plead insanity. About a quarter succeed.

We examine who's taking over — the LA County Public Defender's Office, led by Ricardo Garcia, with one of the best capital case records in the country. We look at what happens if the defense succeeds: commitment to a state psychiatric hospital, potentially for life, in facilities where the DOJ found civil rights violations and patient murders.

The Reiners spent seventeen years trying to save their son. More than a dozen rehab programs. Seventy thousand dollars a month. None of it mattered. Now the state of California will make the permanent decision they never could.

#NickReiner #RobReiner #MicheleSingerReiner #ReinerCase #InsanityDefense #CaliforniaLaw #MNaghtenRule #MurderTrial #LegalAnalysis #TrueCrime

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This is the defense that will define Nick Reiner's future — and it almost never works.

Alan Jackson spent three weeks investigating Nick's case before withdrawing. His parting statement made his strategy clear: "Nick Reiner is NOT guilty of murder under California law." That's code for insanity defense. And now public defender Kimberly Greene has to build it from scratch.

Here's what we know: Nick was reportedly being treated for schizophrenia at the time he allegedly killed his parents, director Rob Reiner and philanthropist Michele Singer Reiner. Sources tell NBC4 about the diagnosis. TMZ reports schizoaffective disorder. Multiple outlets confirm his medication was changed weeks before January 6th, and his behavior became "erratic and dangerous."

But California's insanity standard doesn't care about diagnosis. It cares about one moment — the instant of the crime. Under the M'Naghten Rule, the defense must prove Nick either didn't understand what he was doing or couldn't distinguish right from wrong at that precise time.

Attorney and former prosecutor Eric Faddis joins us for a deep dive into how this defense works — and whether Nick's case fits. We examine the two-phase trial process, how medication changes affect the legal argument, and what prosecutors will use against him.

Sources say Nick attended a Christmas party days before the killings and was coherent enough to have conversations. That's exactly the kind of evidence that sinks insanity defenses.

We also discuss Nick's documented history of cocaine and stimulant abuse — and how California law treats mental illness complicated by addiction.

Less than one percent of defendants plead insanity. Here's whether Nick Reiner could be one of the few who succeeds.

#NickReiner #RobReiner #MicheleSingerReiner #InsanityDefense #ReinerCase #Schizophrenia #CaliforniaLaw #MNaghtenRule #MurderTrial #LegalDeepDive

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The defense strategy in the Nick Reiner murder case just hit a wall — and then pivoted in public.

Alan Jackson, who was retained as Nick's attorney within hours of his arrest for allegedly killing his parents Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, withdrew from the case today. He told the judge he had "no choice" due to circumstances "beyond Nick's control." Sources tell Deadline the reason is money.

But Jackson didn't leave quietly. On the courthouse steps, he delivered what sounded like a preview of the defense Nick will never get from him: "Pursuant to the laws of California, Nick Reiner is NOT guilty of murder. Print that."

That's a clear signal — Jackson believes an insanity defense could work. His team investigated for three weeks, issued ten subpoenas that are now sealed, and worked "every waking hour." Now all of that belongs to history, and public defender Kimberly Greene is starting from scratch.

Greene met Nick for approximately thirty seconds before the hearing. She told reporters she'd had no contact with the Reiner family and wasn't sure they even knew Jackson was withdrawing.

In this deep-dive episode, attorney and former prosecutor Eric Faddis breaks down what went wrong, what happens to Jackson's work product, and whether Nick actually loses anything by switching to the public defender's office — which has a remarkable capital case record.

We also examine how this affects the prosecution strategy. Deputy DA Habib Balian is on the case — the same prosecutor who handled Menendez and Durst. Does chaos on the defense side give him an advantage?

Arraignment: February 23rd. No plea entered. Everything is in flux.

#NickReiner #RobReiner #MicheleSingerReiner #ReinerMurders #AlanJackson #ReinerCase #MurderTrial #InsanityDefense #TrueCrime #LegalAnalysis

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Rob and Michele Reiner spent seventeen years trying to save their son Nick. They didn’t fail him. The system failed all of them.

Psychotherapist Shavaun Scott joins us for a comprehensive examination of the Reiner family tragedy — not to judge, but to understand what this family was dealing with and why so many others are facing the same impossible situation.

Rob Reiner spoke openly about feeling helpless. About trusting doctors who couldn’t deliver results. About fearing that the tragic ending he dreaded was inevitable. Michele reportedly told a friend she didn’t know what else they could do. These weren’t parents who gave up. These were parents who tried everything and ran out of options.

Shavaun explains what families experience when someone they love has a severe mental illness like schizophrenia. The guilt. The fear. The exhaustion. The desperate hope that this treatment, this program, this medication will finally be the one that works. She explains why addiction treatment fails when psychosis is underneath, why dual diagnosis is so difficult to treat, and what happens when medication changes go wrong.

Sources say Nick became unstable after a medication change weeks before the killings. Conservatorship proceedings were reportedly underway when Rob and Michele died. They were finally trying to take legal action — and they ran out of time.

This interview is for everyone who has watched this case and recognized their own family’s struggle. For everyone who has loved someone with mental illness and felt powerless. For everyone who knows that money and love aren’t enough when the system offers no real help.

#RobReiner #MicheleReiner #NickReiner #ShavaunScott #ReinerCase #Schizophrenia #MentalHealth #FamilyTragedy #MentalHealthCrisis #TrueCrime

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The biggest development in the Nick Reiner case since his arrest. Alan Jackson — the high-profile defense attorney who took Nick's case three weeks ago — withdrew this morning, telling the judge he had "no choice."

Nick Reiner now has a public defender. Her name is Kimberly Greene. She has nineteen years of experience. She was informed last night that Jackson was stepping aside. She had thirty seconds to meet her new client before the hearing began.

Jackson held a press conference outside the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center. He said his team had investigated the case "top to bottom, back to front" over the past three weeks. He said they'd devoted "literally every waking hour" to protecting Nick. And he said something that should be noted carefully: "Pursuant to the laws of this state, pursuant to the law in California, Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder. Print that."

He's signaling that the insanity defense has merit. That the evidence supports it. That he believes it would succeed.

But he's not the one who will argue it anymore.

Jackson said "circumstances beyond Nick's control" forced his withdrawal. He said he's "legally and ethically prohibited" from explaining why. Sources tell Deadline that money is the likely reason — that the funding apparently dried up.

The Reiner family released a statement saying they have "utmost trust in the legal process." Public Defender Kimberly Greene said she'd had no contact with the family and didn't think they were aware Jackson was withdrawing.

Nick's arraignment is now February 23rd. He remains in jail without bail. And for the first time, he'll face the justice system without the resources that protected him for seventeen years.

#RobReiner #MicheleReiner #NickReiner #AlanJackson #ReinerCase #PublicDefender #KimberlyGreene #MurderCharges #TrueCrime #Arraignment

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Rob and Michele Reiner were scared of their son. Sources confirm it. They knew about the violent outbursts, the aggression, the unpredictability. Michele reportedly told a friend, "I don't know what else we can do." A law enforcement source says conservatorship proceedings were underway at the time of the deaths.

And still, Nick lived in their guest house. Still, they took him to a holiday party the night before they were killed. Still, they slept in a bedroom he could access anytime.

Why couldn't they protect themselves from someone they loved?

Psychotherapist Shavaun Scott joins us to examine the psychology of families living with a dangerous member. She explains why people minimize risk from those closest to them, what cognitive mechanisms prevent protective action, and the particular blindness that comes from parental love.

This episode traces the violence trajectory in Nick's case. What did escalation look like? What warning signs were visible — from childhood disruption to the confrontation at Conan O'Brien's party hours before the killings? And what should have triggered intervention along the way?

Shavaun also addresses how mental health professionals assess violence risk, why conservatorship so often comes too late, and the uncomfortable tension between destigmatizing mental illness and acknowledging that some presentations are genuinely dangerous.

The Reiners sensed the danger. They couldn't — or wouldn't — act on it. This episode examines why.

#RobReiner #MicheleReiner #NickReiner #ShavaunScott #ReinerCase #WarningSigns #ViolenceRisk #MentalHealth #Psychology #TrueCrime

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