Nick Reiner Laura Cavanaugh/FilmMagic Share on Facebook Share on X Google Preferred Share to Flipboard Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Send an Email Print the Article Post a Comment Logo text For what's been characterized as an open-and-shut case, remarkably little is known about the slayings of Hollywood icon Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele. They were found fatally stabbed in the master bedroom of their Brentwood home, and their son, Nick Reiner, was arrested shortly after for the killings. Law enforcement has not said what made them focus on him as a suspect, and prosecutors have yet to detail a motive or what happened. Alan Jackson, his high-flying lawyer, has cautioned against speculation. "There are very, very complex, serious issues associated with this case," he said last month. Related Stories News Rob and Michele Reiner's Bond With Ex-Death Row Inmate Comes to Light After Couple's Murder Movies Chelsea Handler Honors Rob Reiner, Roasts Leonardo DiCaprio and David Zaslav in Critics Choice Monologue But if the case against him is strong, expect Reiner's drug use and related mental health disorders to play a major role in the trial, sentencing and posture of prosecutors. Reiner was charged with two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances relating to multiple homicides. Los Angeles County prosecutors have also advanced a special allegation over the use of a deadly weapon, a knife, in the crime. If convicted as charged, he could face a death sentence or life in prison without the possibility of parole, though a decision hasn't been made on whether to seek capital punishment. Reiner made his first court appearance in the case last month, when he only spoke to say "yes, your honor" after being asked if he agrees to a January date for his arraignment. He's expected to enter his plea later today. Here, The Hollywood Reporter dissects some key legal considerations ahead of the hearing. The arraignment may be rescheduled again When time isn't on your side, why not ask for more? Over the past month, Reiner has been meeting with medical professionals to evaluate his mental state at the time of and leading up to the killings. Their involvement in the case has been and will be significant. The caliber of doctors and forensic mental health experts, whose job is to evaluate the intersection of mental illness and the law in these types of cases, that Reiner and his legal team aren't easy to schedule. Absent a complete screening, Jackson may not have landed on a final decision as to a plea, though the default is to plead not guilty. The media savvy lawyer may also want to delay the arraignment for attention on the case to subside. Another potential factor: there still may be some uncertainty as to Jackson's involvement on Reiner's defense team. The state of Reiner's finances are unknown, but a retainer on a case like this probably lands in the seven figures, with the cost of taking it to trial well north of $1 million. "An undertaking like this case will be very expensive considering the legal counsel involved and the type of work required," says Halim Dhanidina, a former state and court of appeals judge and prosecutor. "It's not unusual for an arraignment to be continued for that reason. Once you're the attorney of record, you can't just walk away from the case." If it does proceed as scheduled, there's no downside to Reiner pleading not guilty considering he can change it at any time. It's been speculated that he'll pursue a not guilty by reason of insanity defense but more on that later. Prosecutors pursuing a death sentence would be politically fraught Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman unseated his progressive predecessor, George Gascon, by running on a platform that included getting tougher on crime. One of his first initiatives was restoring the death penalty in Los Angeles. The special circumstances - that Reiner committed multiple homicides, opened the door to capital punishment. Still, the optics of the case may not lend itself to prosecutors seeking the death sentence, which Hochman said he would only seek in "rare cases," like the killing of a law enforcement officer or school shooting. Reiner appears to have a well-documented history of mental health disorders. It's been widely reported that he was diagnosed with schizophrenia several years ago. According to a NBC News report, he was being treated for a serious psychiatric disorder at the time of his parents' murder. The wild card will be Reiner's siblings. They have not said much but the little they have suggest they're sympathetic toward their brother. In a statement shortly after the killings, Jake and Romy Reiner asked that speculation about the case "be tempered with compassion and humanity." "The public perception on mental health issues may complicate a death sentence and seeking it could make Nick a more sympathetic character," says S