Defense attorney Alan Jackson abruptly withdrew from the case of Nick Reiner, son of late filmmaker Rob Reiner, shortly before his scheduled arraignment.
Jackson represented Nick Reiner, who's a prime suspect in the fatal stabbing of his father and mother, Michelle Singer Reiner.
But on Wednesday (Jan. 7), according to Deadline, Jackson told Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Theresa McGonigle that his legal team felt that they had but "no choice to withdraw."
The Public Defenders’ Office will take over Reiners' defense case, while the initial plea has been pushed to Feb. 23.
Per CNN, Reiner told the judge, "Yeah, I agree with your honor on that," when asked about the change.
Reiner, who collaborated with his late father on the 2015 drama and semi-biopic Being Charlie, was charged on two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances.
If convicted, the 32-year-old could be sentenced to death or life in prison without the possibility of parole. Reiner's first court date in the case was last month, when he agreed to the terms of his arraignment.
Rob Reiner and Michelle Singer Reiner were found deceased with stab wounds in their Los Angeles home by their daughter, Romy Reiner, on Dec. 14.
Nick Reiner, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia and had a history of addiction, was arrested just hours after the discovery when he was found outside a nearby convenience store.
The tragedy was met with an outpouring of grief by individuals in entertainment and politics, including former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, who planned to have dinner with the late couple on the day they were found deceased.
