How could a tragedy involving public figures ripple outside the courtroom this way? To those of us on the outside looking in, it would appear these events, in particular Nick Reiner’s first court appearance, have been rather unsettling, to say nothing of heartbreaking.
Three days after the fatal stabbing incident of Hollywood film director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner, the suspect-who is also the Reiners’ 32-year-old son-appeared behind a glass partition Wednesday, in a blue assassination prevention vest and leg shackles, saying only “yes, your honor” as he agreed to put off his arraignment until January 7 so that “with restraint and with dignity,” according to his attorney Alan Jackson, a defense attorney.
Charges against him are what are known to be the most severe in California jurisprudence, including two counts of First Degree assassinate with Special Circumstances. District Attorney Nathan Hochman confirmed that should the case go to trial, the suspect faces a possible sentence of life in prison with no possibility of parole or the fate penalty. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has identified that both victims succumbed to multiple injuries caused by a sharp object.
Now, thanks to the arrest, there is some light shed on what went on before that ever took place. Saturday night involved Rob and Michele going out to comedian Conan O’Brien’s annual Christmas party-a bash that always features a Who’s Who of important guests. There were reports of a loud argument erupting between father and son, although Nick could also be observed keeping to himself, alone at a fire pit and wearing just a hoodie and jeans. Then, early Sunday, according to reports, Nick checked into a hotel in Santa Monica-only a few miles from his parents’ house. Sunday afternoon, their daughter Romy-motivated by a massage therapist with nowhere else to turn-went into the master bedroom of their Brentwood home and discovered her father’s dead body. She quickly exited, and a friend phoned the cops, whose arrival resulted in all three of them being found dead.
Surveillance cameras at a neighborhood ARCO gas station near the University of Southern California captured him that night buying a drink, wearing a red backpack and glancing behind him. Within minutes, LAPD cars had him surrounded at an intersection a few blocks away. He surrendered without incident at 9:15 p.m. and has been held without bail since then.
Members of the family, Jake and Romy Reiner, have issued a statement in which they express their gratitude regarding public reaction while pointing out their sadness: The pain that we are feeling every day and every moment is something that no one should ever have to experience. It’s hard to find the words to properly express our gratitude for all of the public’s reaction but our sadness regarding our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, can’t even begin to be expressed in any way possible. They are our parents, but most of all, they are our best friends.
Also, the present case has a value that is much more than people who knew the Reiners as individuals. It is said that cases that involve tragedies for well-known families have been known to fuel the grief. It is mainly because fame, tragedy with violence, as well as unanswered questions that lead individuals into media speculation. For such people who may be following this case, as well as feeling as though their world is a disaster or feel as though they have little control over what may be going on, several strategies can be put into action.
In a tribute to the couple, Michelle Obama, a longtime friend of the couple, affectionately said on national television, “Rob and Michele Reiner are some of the most decent, courageous people you ever want to know. They are not deranged or crazed.” That reminder that the couple’s legacy of charity and creativity ought not and should not be overshadowed by the conditions of their passing.
As the judicial proceedings continue, the defense counsel Jackson is known for his representation of high-profile cases has intimated the presence of “complex and serious issues.” Renowned attorney Mark Geragos offered insight into the fact that an insanity plea may also be taken, underlying the fact that this is going to become a long and complicated case. For all those involved or concerned with justice and safety, the case brought before the Supreme Court presents a difficult conflict: the desire for justice on the one hand and the need for a family’s privacy on the other. It is helpful in such a scenario to look back upon the life lived and the values espoused by Rob and Michele Reiner through the works they have helped create.
