The Breakfast Club - Its a Tragedy ( Details of the killing of Rob Reiner)

Episode Date: December 22, 2025

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakfastClubPower1051FMSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast, Guaranteed Human. I'm Stefan Curry, and this is Gentleman's Cut. I think what makes Gentleman's Cut different is me being a part of developing the profile of this beautiful finished product. With every sip, you get a little something different. Visit Gentleman's Cut Bourbon.com or your nearest Total Wines or Bevmo. This message is intended for audiences 21 and older. Gentleman's Cut Bourbon, Boone County, Kentucky. For more on Gentleman's Cut Bourbon, please visit

Gentleman'scuturban.com. Please enjoy responsibly. Hey, everybody, it's Chuck and Josh from the Stuff You Should Know podcast, and it's that time of year again when we knuckle down to do our annual holiday episodes. We collected our best past classic holiday episodes and compiled them into a 12 days of Christmas toys playlist that the whole family can enjoy. That's right. Maybe you missed it the first time we detailed the history of Beanie Babies, Monopoly, or Yo-Yo's, and a whole lot more.

So listen to the 12 Days of Christmas Toys playlist on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Nora Jones, and I love playing music with people so much that my podcast called Playing Along is back. I sit down with musicians from all musical styles to play songs together in an intimate setting. Every episode's a little different, but it all involves music and conversation with some of my favorite musicians. Over the past two seasons, I've had special guests like Dave Grohl, Leve, Mavis Staples, Remy Wolf, Jeff Tweedy, really too many to name. And this season, I've sat down with Black Pumas, Alessia Cara, Sarah McLaughlin, and more.

Check out my new episode with John Legend. I feel like, in a lot of ways, our careers are paralleled in some ways, but they just never intersected for some reason. I know. We should take it slow. We're just ordinary people. We don't know which way you go.

Listen to Nora Jones is playing along on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Who would you call if the unthinkable happened? I said, it was y'all 22 times. A police officer, right? But what do you do when the monster is the man in blue? This dude is the devil. He'll hurt you. This is the story of a detective who thought he was above the law until we came together to take him down. I said, you're going to see my face till the day that you died.

I got you, I got you, I got you Listen to the girlfriends, untouchable, on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Jingle bells, jingle, jingle all the way. Yo, yo, yo, can we get a Thanksgiving first? I'm hungry. What's up, y'all? It's Kadeen. And DeVal, the host of the Ellis Ever After podcast.

This holiday season. Tune out the noise and tune in to Ellis Ever After. On Ellis Ever After, we get real with our crew about family, love and marriage, and everything else in between. Listen to Ellis Ever After on America's number one podcast network, IHeart. Follow Ellis Ever After and start listening on the free IHeart Radio app today. I'm a homegirl that knows a little bit about everything in everybody. You know if you don't lie about that, right? Lauren came in hot.

Hey, y'all, what's up? It's Lauren the Rosa, and this is the latest with Lauren the Rosa. this is your daily dig on all things pop culture entertainment news and all of the conversations that shake the room. So today I want to get into a very serious conversation surrounding the Nick Reiner alleged killing of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michelle Reiner. Rob Reiner, for those who may not know, but I've been seeing his name so much in the news because he was killed by his son Nick Reiner, him and his wife, Michelle, in their home not to run. long ago in L.A. They were found with reported slits to their throat, literally found in their home by their daughter. But Rob Reiner was known for All in the Family. He also directed iconic

films like when Harry met Sally, the Princess Bride, a few good men, really big in the political space as far as just commentating on various things in activism and, you know, some of the things that he had pushed for were gun control, child welfare, as a director, the spinal tap as well, the American president. There is just a lot that he has accomplished. So this story has been, you know, one of the biggest stories in Hollywood over the last few weeks following his death. Now, just to recap a bit, because I know we have not talked about it much here on the podcast, Rob Reiner and his wife, Michelle Reiner, were found in their home by, they're one of their daughters um after an alleged argument of some kind in the beginning of this

uh you know news breaking it was said that they had had an argument possibly same day uh allegedly with their son nick reiner um but then there was more news that came out that said that potentially that argument happened the night prior at a conan o'brien christmas party where they had got into an argument uh with their son nick reiner and uh they had left the party and you know there was like a disrupt or another disruptance caused by Nick, not even related to his parents at the party. And there's been a lot of conversation around the fact that it was known that Nick Reiner suffered from different types of substance abuse, drug abuse, and, you know, mental health issues. And, you know, there has just been a very up and down relationship between him and his parents

because of, you know, those things. Nick himself has talked about being homeless at some points and, you know, various rehabs. just a bunch of different things throughout life. So Nick Reiner was arrested and, you know, he was charged for the murders of his parents. And there has now become a conversation about what his legal strategy will be. So wanting to come here today, you know, as things unfold because, I mean, this story, I feel like every hour there is a new update. There is a new exclusive report sourced on, you know, law enforcement or sourced on family

and friends of the family or whoever that various media outlets are reporting. So things are changing and moving and the conversation is happening in so many different places literally by the moment. But I thought that, you know, a conversation right now because Nick Reiner did appear in court for the first time over the last week, he did not enter a plea whatsoever at his arraignment. And he does have an attorney. His attorney is a powerhouse attorney.

Alan Jackson is the attorney who got Karen Reed off of the homicide case. You guys may remember that case because it also was a big, you know, case that also made headlines when she was alleged she had been driving under the influence, backed up and hit a man who was her boyfriend at the time, but it was also a cop. And she was found not guilty on the serious charges, but guilty on the lesser charges. And Allen Jackson was actually the person that headed up her defense team. so you know he's a powerhouse attorney all these things are happening and nick reiner doesn't show up the court the first day uh to enter a plea but shows up to court the second day um they had him in a jacket of sorts to kind of i guess subdue him a bit um per reports nick reiner has been on a suicide watch i've yet to be able to confirm whether uh this in the beginning was just

protocol or if this was something that was done because of, you know, something that he said or like, you know, medical testing or whatever. But we do know that he underwent medical and mental evaluations. His attorney, Alan Jackson, let us know outside of the courthouse after that first day that Nick actually made it to court. Not the first day he was supposed to be there, but so the second day of court and the first day, Nick Reiner actually made it to court. His attorney had this to say about him not appearing after missing medical testing. And I know we talked about this on a prior episode, but let's hear it again. Now, most recent conversation was an exclusive report via TMZ.

And I found this report interesting because I know that, you know, Harvey Levin and, you know, a lot of the people that work with him are attorney. So they're looking at this from a legal aspect. And at this point, I think that that's kind of the only way you can look at it because right now we're trying to figure out what happens next. And whatever happens next definitely will be something legal. the report says that Nick Reiner had reportedly been diagnosed with schizophrenia and his meds made him dangerous to the point where he was basically out of his mind

or out of his head is what the report alleges and TMZ alleges that they spoke to two different sources who told them that in the weeks leading up to the day he murdered his parents Rob and Michelle Reiner Nick Reiner was taking various medicines like a medicine cocktail of some sort the report continues to allege

that these medicines actually made him erotic and dangerous they then continue to go on and said that according to the two sources at the same time Nick Reiner was under the care of psychiatrist for his mental illness but the month that

the murders happened these doctors were like trying to get his cocktail his medical you know his medicines that he was taking correct They were trying to get it to a point where he wouldn't be as erratic in behavior, but it just wasn't working.

And I mean, that's not a normal to hear because a lot of things with doctors, especially when it comes to Western, like when it comes to medicine, it's trial and error. Like they give you things, they see how it works with your body, they see how effective it is. And then they either up dosages or they change medicines altogether until they get the cocktail correct. So this report also talks about, you know, Nick Reiner going to a rehab facility. They said that this rehab facility was like in the upwards of like $70,000 a month. And that this is a place that a lot of rich and powerful parents send their kids to who have, you know, issues that fit what the rehab center focuses on. Now, while all of this is happening, this report also alleges that Nick Reiner was still a big. using substances, whatever those substances were, that he was still abusing substances

allegedly, right? And because of this, the conversation now is, will Nick Reiner plead not guilty by reason of insanity? I think on its face when you just hear how gruesome the murders seem to have been. And we don't know all of the full details, right? But to be a child, not a child he's a grown man but to be you know to kill your parents there has to be something that like isn't connecting like you're not all the way there like there's no way that you can argue that a person that is able to commit i mean i feel like murder in general there's a there's a sense of especially if it's if the if the malice is there like if there's an intent or premeditation or you know even in the moment sometimes i think that there is definitely an argument around like

what your mental does in that thought process, but for it to be your parents? Like your parents? Like, what the hell? So right now the conversation, you know, based on these reports that are being had, or that is being had is, will Nick Reiner plead not guilty by reason of insanity?

Now, this defense is basically a defense that requires proof that Nick Reiner didn't understand the nature and the quality of his actions. So I did some, you know, just research on what the burden of proof for a defense like this means. And the burden of proof is basically like, what is my responsibility? Like, what do I have to do? Like, what is needed for me to convince the judge, the jury, whoever, that what I'm saying,

like what I'm pleading or what I'm alleging is the reason why is exactly what they'll believe by the end of my pleading. So what I found is And I was looking up basically Like what is the hardest part Of proving something like this It says the hardest part of proving not guilty By any reason Of proven not guilty by reason of insanity

Is meeting the strict legal standard By demonstrating with clear and convincing evidence That the severe mental disease At the exact moment of the crime Prevented the defendant From understanding their actions were wrong Or conforming their conduct to the law or basically like anything that made sense or you knowing what you were not supposed to do,

you have to be able to prove that in that very moment your mental illness or the substances that cause that mental illness or whatever it is that you're going to, you know, put together in this conversation of like, here's why I didn't understand that in that very moment it was affecting you. Some of the challenges that, you know, other defendants face when they go up against in court is burden of proof. So again, it's just proving, you know, at that time. I think, you know, if you're a person like, you know, Nick Reiner, if this report is true and you have medical records showing that, you have, you know, documents and notes from

the psychiatrist you've been working with, you have all the information about the medicines and what those side effects and causes or, you know, negative causes or reactions to those medicines can do just basic study on schizophrenia and I remember you know when we were in court for the ditty trial one of the key witnesses in that trial was an expert witness who focused on mental health and cognitive thinking um and like kind of like a therapist ish kind of but she was more so like a person who studied the behaviors of abusers um and studied the behaviors of victims right And the reason why she was so important as a witness, and she didn't see anything herself. It's not like she was Diddy's psychiatrist or she was Diddy's therapist or she was providing therapy to any of the victims.

She literally had never seen heard or met any of the people involved. But the reason why she was so important and the defense, Diddy's team was trying to make it where what she said on that stand couldn't be heard by the jury is because she was able to really explain. to you the mind behind a lot of this stuff behind why a woman will return back to an abuser, you know, why a woman would cover up and claim love

and like all the different things that your mind can't really like fathom because you're in a different mental space. She was able to put it in very like one plus one equals two terms but also had the medicine and the research to back it up. And it seems to me, you know, if these reports are correct, if I'm an attorney, you almost have

like, you have everything you need to be able to lay this out. Now, there were a few things that struck me, you know, just in this past week from following the Reiner case. And when I saw these things, I'm like, oh, he is not going to plead guilty. Because number one, when Nick Reiner finally made it to court, he didn't take a plea deal. It's very, very, you know, it's very, clear that police are 100% confident that they have, you know, even, again, everything is alleged. He is innocent until proven guilty. But if I'm reading this case and I'm reading the through line, there is nothing here that doesn't show me that the government is not sure that they have the person they believe killed Rob Reiner and Michelle Reiner. And they believe

that it is Nick Reiner, right? So with evidence being that strong for your attorney to then come into court and be very confident about hey we need more time we need this to be continued for about another month or so we'll get back to you let's have a conversation and you not take a plea deal off rip and just make sure you're not about to spend the rest of your life and behind bars which i don't see how that would even be possible but basically just try and fight for whatever rest of your life you think you're about to have after something like this i was like okay i don't think he's going to plead guilty and in this report, based on this report, you know, and everything that these sources are telling TMZ

is lining up that way. Not only did Nick Reiner not take a plea deal his first day in court, but his attorney asked for more time, right? And they waive any right to anything speedy. So for me, I'm sitting back and I'm like, okay, that means his attorney wants to take a lot of time and look at like his medical records, his mental health battles and records, uh, family battles, um, his life and daily battles that, you know, everything that could have compiled to cause him to basically snap because he's trying to figure out what the best defense is. Like basically it's like you know your back is up against the defense, right? You know that y'all might not make it out unscath, unscathed at all because again, like I said,

the evidence is here. There's reports right now that there, in the hotel room that Nick Reiner checked into, which he's on video, right, checking into. And mind you, when he checked in, there was no blood on him. But there's reports of blood found in a hotel. You have his sibling who shows up at the parent's house

who finds the parents dead who let police know, this is who I think did it. And he is very dangerous, right? You have everything there. But it seems to me like his attorney, is just taking the time that he needs to gather enough to make it where when the ball drops because it will in this case I think it's very straightforward we're about to see happen he's facing you know life in prison or the death penalty and let me not say it is clear

when I said it's clear I just mean we know he he's going to do like a period right um and he's going to do some time right they're going to make a decision on the death penalty or not a little bit later. But in the reason why that they're even able to consider the death penalty is because there's like special conditions. And the prosecutor in a press conference, he talked about the special conditions. And he talked about how it basically is because there were two murders that were committed and the weapon that was used, like the type of weapon that was used.

So basically these conditions are things that like kind of up the crime. It makes them more heinous. So they're then able to consider the ultimate penalty. But they haven't considered that yet. But basically his attorneys is taking more time. figure out okay this is coming so when it hits how can we soften the blow now i do think that you know in arguing um something like this like this is going to be so difficult for his family like god bless his family and i know that like when you're dealing with mental health issues this is not something

that's new uh it seems like you know there have been some you know things that their family has dealt with around this for some time um but it's very different to have to publicly watch this all play out and watch your sibling who is you know there's been reports that he's like in a days at this point you know I've read reports across outlets recently that basically say he hasn't even fully processed what he did at this point because of just his mental state right so it's like if I'm the sibling my mom and my dad are no longer here I also now no longer have my brother and all of

And he's literally not even connecting what actually happened. So I don't, it's like, how do you ever get comfort in a situation like this? Like, I don't think you ever, I've never lost someone that's close to me from something as heinous as this. But, you know, I've, I've, I've heard stories of people who feel like, okay, but at least we know the person responsible for this is behind bars. But it got to be completely different when the person responsible is your brother. who also, per reports, doesn't even understand fully what he just did. I want to hear from you guys, you know, predictions on what you think may happen and how this may play out. You know, over the next few weeks, because they ask for things to be continuing until January,

over the next few weeks, we'll hear a lot more about what legal strategy may be, you know, what Nick Reiner's past has been like. and we've been seeing and hearing so much about that what his past has been like um i mean at this point we also i'm sure we'll probably hear i don't know how private the family plans to keep this i know they they made a statement and just kind of spoke out about how difficult things are for them right now uh but you know the funerals of rob and michel reiner who hollywood loved like i i saw so many people speaking out on behalf of like rob bryner how greater of a person he was. I saw Tisha Campbell say that

she gave him his start. Not that they were like the closest of people, but she's one of the people that, he's one of the people that put her into the comedy lane. And then you have, you know, um, I don't know. It just, it seems like the world kind of took a pause to just

talk about how great of a man Rob Reiner was when all of this happened. But at the same time, I also feel like because this has become the story people have dug so deep into like everything personal so i i don't even know how keeping a funeral private and it's such a it's messed up because it's such a horrible gruesome situation but it's such a highly publicized a news story too so i'm sure we'll we'll probably hear some more about that as well but you guys you know just let me think let me know

what you are thinking around this um is it even fair like if nick reiner is found guilty for the murders of his parents. Is it even fair for him to be able to plead not guilty because of insanity? Because, you know, in doing that, what they're trying to do is make it where a lot of the harshness of the penalty is taken off of the table. Do y'all think that's fair? I want to hear from y'all. At the end of the day, there's always a lot to talk about. I'm Lorna Rosa.

Y'all know we will get into it here every single time. My lowriders, I appreciate you guys for joining me to talk about it because y'all could be anywhere with anybody, but y'all choose to be right here. I'm Lauren La Rosa. I will catch you guys in my next episode. I'm Stefan Curry, and this is Gentleman's Cut. I think what makes Gentleman's Cut different

is me being a part of developing the profile of this beautiful finished product. With every sip, you get a little something different. Visit gentlemen's cut bourbon.com or your nearest Total Wines or Bevmo. This message is intended for audiences 21 and older. Gentleman's Cut Bourbon, Boone County, Kentucky. For more on Gentleman's Cut Bourbon, please visit

gendelmanscut bourbon.com. Please enjoy responsibly. Hey, I'm Nora Jones, and I love playing music with people so much that my podcast called Playing Along is back. I sit down with musicians from all musical styles to play songs together in an intimate setting. Every episode's a little different,

but it all involves music and conversation with some of my favorite musicians. Over the past two seasons, I've had special guests like Dave Grohl, Leveh, Mavis Staples, Remy Wolf, Jeff Tweedy, really too many to name. And this season, I've sat down with Black Pumas, Alessia Kara, Sarah McLaughlin, and more. Check out my new episode with John Legend. I feel like in a lot of ways our careers are paralleled in some ways, but they just never intersected for some reason. I know. We don't know which way you go.

Listen to Nora Jones is playing along on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, everybody, it's Chuck and Josh from the Stuff You Should Know podcast, and it's that time of year again when we knuckle down to do our annual holiday episodes. We collected our best past classic holiday episodes and compiled them into a 12 days of Christmas toys playlist that the whole family can enjoy. That's right. Maybe you missed it the first time we detailed the history of Beanie Babies, Monopoly, or Yo-Yo's, and a whole lot more. So listen to the 12 Days of Christmas Toys playlist on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Who would you call if the unthinkable happened? My sister was y'all 22 times. A police officer, right? But what do you do when the monster

is the man in blue? This dude is the devil. He'll hurt you. This is the story of a detective who thought he was above the law, until we came together to take him down. I said, you're going to see my face to the day that you die. Listen to the girlfriends, untouchable, on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Jingle bells, jingle all the way. Yo, yo, yo, can we get Thanksgiving for us? I'm hungry. What's up, y'all? It's Kadeen. And DeVal, the host of the Ellis Ever After podcast.

This holiday season, tune out the noise and tune in to Ellis Ever After. On Ellis Ever After, we get real with our crew about family, love and marriage, and everything else in between. Listen to Ellis Ever After on America's number one podcast network, IHeart. Follow Ellis Ever After and start listening on the free IHeart Radio app today. This is an IHeart podcast, Guaranteed Human.