Nick Reiner entered a Los Angeles courtroom with a shaved head, brown jumpsuit, and shackles on his wrists. He sat behind glass and let his public defender speak two words on his behalf: not guilty. To two counts of first-degree murder. For allegedly stabbing both of his parents—legendary director Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Singer Reiner—to death in their Brentwood bedroom. This Hidden Killers Week In Review breaks down what that plea actually signals and why his siblings are done. That plea wasn't a claim of innocence. It was a procedural placeholder. In California, if you want to pursue an insanity defense, you enter a dual plea: not guilty AND not guilty by reason of insanity. The single plea keeps all options open while psychiatric evaluations continue. Door one: full insanity under the M'Naghten standard—a longshot given Nick was reportedly arguing with his father at a party hours before the killings. Door two: diminished actuality, using his documented schizoaffective disorder and a reported medication change to argue he couldn't form specific intent to premeditate. Door three: incompetence to stand trial, pushing proceedings out months or years. Meanwhile, his siblings Jake and Romy Reiner are done. Sources told TMZ directly: "Nick's defense is Nick's defense. They're not involved." The high-profile attorney they initially funded—Alan Jackson, known for the Karen Read acquittal—withdrew in January. Nick now has a public defender. Reports indicate Jake and Romy won't attend the trial. In over two months of incarceration, his only visitor has been his lawyer. After eighteen rehabs, a conservatorship, years of police visits—what brought two siblings to the point of walking away? Tony Brueski examines what other families who've faced this moment can teach us. The death penalty remains on the table. Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/ Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/TrueCrimePod 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. #NickReiner #RobReiner #MicheleReiner #NotGuiltyPlea #InsanityDefense #JakeReiner #RomyReiner #Parricide #HiddenKillers #TrueCrime