Nick Reiner will not face death penalty in killings of his parents, prosecutor says

By Chelsea Bailey, CNN

(CNN) — California prosecutors announced they will not seek the death penalty against Michele and Rob Reiner’s son Nick, who has been charged with murder in the killing of his parents.

Nick Reiner, who turned 33 on Monday, faces two counts of first-degree murder in the killings and an added allegation of lying in wait, according to an indictment unsealed last month. He has pleaded not guilty.

The maximum sentence Reiner will face is life without the possibility of parole, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said ahead of a court hearing Tuesday.

The Reiners were found dead from apparent stab wounds in their Brentwood, California, home last December. Hours later, authorities arrested and charged their middle son, Nick, with the killings.

“In deciding whether or not the DA’s office was going to seek the death penalty, we have gone through a rigorous review where we look at the aggravating factors as well as the mitigating factors, where we have spoken to the victims’ family, we have spoken to prosecutors, law enforcement, and worked with the most senior people in the district attorney’s office,” Hochman said Tuesday.

Rob Reiner had shared his views on death and forgiveness, commending Erika Kirk last year for her willingness to forgive the alleged shooter after her husband, conservative activist Charlie Kirk, was shot and killed at a speaking event.

Rob and Michele Reiner had also previously formed a close bond with Texas inmate Nanon Williams, who was sentenced to death for a murder he says he did not commit.

In Tuesday’s hearing, a judge may decide whether to release grand jury transcripts that led to Nick Reiner’s indictment on murder charges for the killing of his parents.

The Reiners’ other children, Jake and Romy Reiner, have expressed a strong desire for the transcripts to remain sealed, Hochman said.

“They basically have said that the disclosure to the public and the media of the details and evidence of the killing of their parents will cause them additional trauma and harm, and they have respectively asked for the court to keep the transcript sealed,” Hochman said.

While prosecutors do not believe unsealing the transcripts will cause prejudice in the case, they will defer to the court’s ruling, Hochman said.

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CNN’s Lauren Mascarenhas and Joe Sutton contributed to this report.