Defense attorney Alan Jackson maintains he’s legally adn ethically restricted from explaining why he no longer represents Nick Reiner in the first-degree murder case of his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner. Jackson stepped down from representing Reiner on January 7, less then a month after his parents were slain in their Los Angeles home.
“I’m bound by legal and ethical restrictions, and so I’ve said as much as I can say,” Jackson told Hot Mics podcast host Billy Bush in a recent appearance. He also wouldn’t comment on whether his departure from the case involved financial issues. “You can’t say that something happened with the retainer as I’ve never said that,” he said. “Obviously, something happened with my ability, and my team’s ability, to continue the representation, but I don’t want you, your audience or anybody else to start speculating as to what that might be. I have not said a word about it.”
In a press conference the day he stepped down, Jackson was similarly reserved. “I had to withdraw as Nick Reiner’s counsel,” he said. “Circumstances beyond our control, but more importantly, circumstances beyond Nick’s control, have dictated that, sadly, it’s made it unfeasible for us to continue our representation of Nick,” he said. “I’m legally, and I’m ethically prohibited from explaining all the reasons why. I know that’s a question on everybody’s mind.”
he also told the press that he believed his former client was not guilty. “What we’ve learned, and you can take this to the bank, is that pursuant to the laws of this state, pursuant to the law in California, Nick reiner is not guilty of murder,” he said. In California, a first-degree murder conviction requires prosecutors to prove intent and premeditation.
A spokesperson for the Reiner family stated at the time that they have “the utmost trust in the legal process and will not comment further on matters related to the legal proceedings.”
The L.A. coroner confirmed Rob and Michele Reiner died of “multiple sharp force injuries” two days after their deaths; a district attorney stated the weapon was a knife.The couple attended a party at Conan O’Brien’s home with Nick, 32, the night before the incident. Authorities charged Nick with first-degree murder on December 16.
