Los Angeles (dpa) – After the violent death of “Harry and Sally” director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele, the couple’s son, accused of murder, appeared in court for the first time. However, Nick Reiner initially did not comment on guilt or innocence, as US media consistently reported. It is still “too early” for that, said his lawyer Alan Jackson. The next appointment is scheduled for January 7th.
There are “very complex and serious challenges associated with this case,” Jackson continued. He called on the public and the media not to rush to judgment. The public prosecutor had previously charged the 32-year-old with two counts of murder. If convicted, he faces life in prison and possibly even the death penalty.
Jake and Romy Reiner: loss of parents “terrible”
Nick Reiner was arrested on Sunday evening, around six hours after police discovered the slain couple in their home in the Brentwood district. Rob Reiner, director of hit films such as “Harry and Sally,” “Misery” and “A Question of Honor,” was 78 years old. His wife, Michele, who worked as a photographer, was 70 years old, according to prosecutors. The couple, married since 1989, had three children together: Jake, Nick, and Romy. The director also adopted the daughter of his first wife, Penny Marshall.
The loss of their parents was “terrible and devastating,” said Jake and Romy Reiner in a joint statement. «Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we feel every moment of the day. The terrible and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something no one should ever have to experience. They weren’t just our parents, they were our best friends.” They asked for their privacy to be respected – and that “our parents be remembered for the incredible lives they lived and the love they gave.”
