Nick Reiner smiles eerily in court as his lawyer sensationally withdraws from case after being given ‘no choice’

Nick Reiner smiled eerily in court today as his high-profile criminal defense lawyer sensationally removed himself from the case.

The dramatic departure sees the Reiner family withdrawing financial support from Nick’s legal battle following his parents’ shocking murders.

Nick, 32, dressed in brown prison garb with a shaved head, appeared behind a glass screen, staring blankly at the proceedings and occasionally flashing a chilling grin.

He was scheduled to be arraigned twice on first-degree murder charges at Los Angeles Superior Court’s Stanley Mosk Courthouse and was widely expected to plead not guilty by reason of insanity.

But defense attorney Alan Jackson, whose list of famous former clients includes Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey, stunned observers by announcing his withdrawal.

Jackson’s departure means Nick will be represented by a public defender.

Iconic director Rob Reiner, 78, and his wife Michele, 70, were found stabbed to death in their Brentwood home on December 14 after attending Conan O’Brien’s holiday party.

Within hours, Nick, who struggled with mental health issues and drug addiction, was arrested and charged with murder.

Nick was indicted on two counts of first-degree murder in the December 14 deaths of Rob and Michele Reiner; Photo taken in Los Angeles in September

Judge Theresa McGonigle postponed the hearing until February 23 and assigned Nick’s case to Kimberly Greene, an attorney with the public defender’s office.

A source told the New York Times that Jackson’s departure had nothing to do with his performance.

Jackson was hired shortly after Nick’s arrest last month after being recommended by Reiner family lawyers.

“We feel we have no choice in withdrawing from the case,” Jackson said in the courtroom after meeting with the judge in his chambers this morning, without commenting further.

A spokesman for the Reiner family told the Daily Mail: ‘They have the utmost confidence in the legal process and will not be commenting further on matters related to the case.’

At a press conference after the hearing, Jackson said he continued to support Nick’s innocence while recusing himself from the case.

“I’ll be very clear about this; my team and I are deeply committed to Nick Reiner and his interests. In fact, we know that the legal process will reveal the facts of Nick’s case.

‘A lot has been in print lately about Nick, his family, circumstances and speculation.

What we learned – and you can take this to the bank – is that under the law of this state, Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder. Print this! We wish him the best moving forward.’

It comes three and a half weeks after Rob and Michele Reiner were found dead with stab wounds at their home in the upscale Brentwood area of ​​Los Angeles.

Nick, the third of Rob Reiner’s four children, was arrested hours later and has been held without bail ever since.

He was charged with two counts of first-degree murder on December 16.

If convicted, Nick faces life in prison with no chance of parole or the death penalty. But prosecutors have not said whether they will push for the death penalty.

The prosecution is led by Deputy District Attorney Habib Balian, whose recent cases include the Menendez brothers’ attempted sting and the trial of Robert Durst.

Nick’s defense attorney Alan Jackson (seen holding a press conference after the hearing) stunned observers by announcing that Nick had recused himself.

Nick did not enter a plea during the first brief hearing on December 17, during which he wore shackles and a suicide prevention apron.

He wasn’t wearing that gown Wednesday.

Ten years ago, Nick publicly discussed his intense struggles with addiction and mental health after making a film with his father called ‘Being Charlie’, which was loosely based on their lives.

Rob Reiner was a prolific director whose work included some of the most memorable and endlessly watchable films of the 1980s and ’90s.

His credits include ‘This is Spinal Tap’, ‘Stand By Me’, ‘A Few Good Men’ and ‘When Harry Met Sally’; During this production, he met photographer Michele Singer and married her soon after.