Nick Reiner Arraignment: Inside the Insanity Defense Strategy | True Crime Today

Tuesday marks a turning point in the Nick Reiner case. The 32-year-old son of legendary filmmaker Rob Reiner will stand before a judge and, for the first time, enter a plea on two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances.

Everyone watching knows what's coming. Defense attorney Alan Jackson has spent three weeks telegraphing it. "Very complex and serious issues." A sealed mental health order. A client who appeared in court in a suicide smock after failing to receive medical clearance the day before.

Not guilty by reason of insanity.

But what does that defense actually require in California? It's not enough to be mentally ill. It's not enough to have schizophrenia, which sources confirm Nick was diagnosed with years ago. Under the M'Naghten standard, the defense must prove he either didn't understand the nature of stabbing his parents to death, or didn't know it was wrong.

That's a high bar. And prosecutors have ammunition. Nick's own words — recorded on podcasts — show a man who knew how to manipulate systems and people. Seventeen rehab programs gamed. Parents convinced to ignore experts. A calculated campaign to remain in their lives despite every warning.

Can you claim insanity for a single night while demonstrating strategic thinking for seventeen years?

Bob Motta joins True Crime Today to break down the legal mechanics of what's coming. The two-phase trial process. How psychiatric testimony works. What happens if the defense actually wins — and whether Nick Reiner could ever walk free.

The arraignment is just the beginning. Here's what it sets in motion.

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