Emotional Nick Reiner Debuts Shaved Head in Court as Arraignment for Allegedly Murdering His Parents Is Delayed

Though Nick Reiner's powerhouse attorney Alan Jackson quit his case at the last second, the alleged murderer still arrived arrived to court for his Wednesday, January 7, arraignment.

According to a news outlet, Reiner — who was charged with murdering both of his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner — was smirking when he stood before Judge Theresa McGonigle in Los Angeles Superior Court.

However, a second outlet claimed Nick, who debuted a shaved head, looked emotional and on the verge of tears.

Alan was still in the room alongside a legal team, with a public defender taking over the case for the moment. Due to the change, Nick's arraignment was postponed to February 23.

A spokesperson for the Reiners told The New York Times of the situation, "They have the utmost trust in the legal process and will not comment further on matters related to the legal proceedings."

Since the screenwriter was taken off suicide watch on Monday, January 5, he wasn't wearing a suicide prevention smock in the courtroom, which he did have on during his first court appearance on December 17, 2025.

Nick has still yet to give his plea in regards to the charges of first-degree murder with the special circumstance allegation of using a knife.

"Prosecuting cases involving family violence are some of the most challenging and heart-wrenching we face because of the intimate and often brutal nature of the crimes," Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman stated last month. "Rob Reiner was one of the greatest filmmakers of his generation. His murder and his wife of more than 35 years, Michele Singer Reiner’s murder, are shocking and tragic. We owe it to their memory to pursue justice and accountability for the lives that were taken."

As OK! reported, Nick — who has struggled with drug addiction for over a decade — was accused of slitting his parents' throats in the early hours of the morning on December 14, 2025. His sister, Romy, discovered her dad's body when a massage therapist alerted her that no one was answering the door for a scheduled appointment.

It was soon revealed that Nick was acting erratic the night before when he and his parents attended Conan O'Brien's Christmas party, but the host allegedly told his guests not to call the police and let the family handle the situation, as authorities had been called to their own home in the past over other incidents.

Nick's "alarming" behavior was nothing new, as a source revealed that a few weeks before the tragedy, doctors changed his medication for schizophrenia when he entered a treatment facility. The prescription allegedly caused him to act "erratic and dangerous."

Nick's drug abuse may have heightened things, as another insider said, "Nick was out of his head."

Romy and her other brother, Jake, put out a statement in the wake of their parents' death but didn't mention Nick in their message.

"Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day. The horrific and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something that no one should ever experience," they wrote. "They weren’t just our parents; they were our best friends."

"We are grateful for the outpouring of condolences, kindness, and support we have received not only from family and friends but people from all walks of life," the duo added.