What Nick Reiner’s Schizophrenia Claim Could Mean for His Murder Case
There are complex and serious legal issues surrounding Nick Reiner’s murder case, and experts say they must be examined thoroughly and with great care.
At a press conference earlier this week, Reiner’s attorney, Alan Jackson, appeared to lay the groundwork for a possible defense strategy after Reiner’s first court appearance was postponed to January 7. Reiner is facing two counts of first-degree murder.
Legal analysts believe the defense’s request for additional time may be linked to an exploration of potential mental health defenses. NBC News legal analyst Misty Marris explained how a confirmed diagnosis of schizophrenia could significantly affect the case, if Reiner is found to have killed his parents.
“If the diagnosis of schizophrenia is accurate, and if there were issues related to his medication that caused an altered mental state, it could fundamentally change the case,” Marris said. “The first threshold question would be whether he is legally competent to proceed with the trial.”
She added that the court would also examine Reiner’s mental state at the time of the alleged crime. “That could form the basis for a potential insanity defense, or it could mitigate the charges,” Marris explained. “It may mean he was unable to form the level of intent required for first-degree murder, potentially reducing the charges to second-degree murder.”
Reiner and his father, Rob Reiner, had previously spoken publicly about Nick’s struggles with mental health and addiction. In 2016, while promoting the film Being Charlie—which Nick co-wrote and Rob directed—Nick discussed his history of substance abuse and multiple stints in rehabilitation.
“I think it needed to happen the way it happened,” Nick said at the time. “I was really out of control. It was more than just drugs. It was always about more than that, and I needed a lot of discipline.”
If the defense centers on a change in medication, experts say it would require testimony from medical professionals who treated Reiner, as well as independent experts who would review his medical and psychiatric records.
