The son of Rob and Michele Reiner, Nick Reiner, is facing murder charges. The question now is, will he plead insanity? Legal experts say it’s a tough defense to win with.
Neama Rahmani, a lawyer in California, explains that to be found not guilty because of insanity, a person has to prove they didn’t know what they were doing was wrong due to a mental problem.
Rob Reiner, known for the movie “When Harry Met Sally…,” and his wife Michele were found dead at their home on December 14. Their son, Nick, was arrested and charged with their murders. He’s currently in jail without bail and under suicide watch. If he’s found guilty, he could spend his life in prison or even face the death penalty.
Rahmani says it’s very difficult for someone to be found not guilty by reason of insanity. Juries usually don’t accept this defense, and it only works a small amount of the time.
Rahmani explains that first, the prosecution has to prove the person is guilty. Then, the defense might argue something like self-defense.
In the second part of the trial, the defense has to prove the person was legally insane. This means they have to change their story and say, “He did it, but he was insane.” Jurors often don’t like this, and it’s usually not successful.
Another lawyer, Randy Zelin, says that if there’s a history of bad blood, it could suggest a motive, making it harder to argue that the person didn’t know what they were doing was wrong.
Sources say that Nick and Rob argued the night before the deaths. Zelin believes that the way Rob and Michele died suggests a plan to kill them. He also says that Nick checking into a hotel afterward shows he was aware of what he had done.
Rahmani agrees, saying that arguing with parents shows a person isn’t legally insane.
However, Rahmani adds that Nick’s mental health and possible drug use could be important in the case. There are reports that he was being treated for schizophrenia at the time of the deaths.
Rahmani says that because first-degree murder requires planning, the defense might use schizophrenia to argue that there was no planning involved. This could reduce the charge to second-degree murder.
Zelin says that if Nick is found guilty, his mental health history could be used to reduce his sentence to manslaughter, possibly avoiding the death penalty. He believes that mental health experts are very important in this case.
Nick appeared in court on December 17. His lawyer didn’t enter a plea at that time. His next court date is scheduled for January 7.
