Hollywood’s Defender: Alan Jackson Takes on the Nick Reiner Case

In the sun-drenched streets of Los Angeles, where celebrity and tragedy often intertwine, veteran attorney Alan Jackson finds himself at the center of another high-profile Hollywood case. Once a star prosecutor for the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office, Jackson has now become the go-to defense attorney for the rich and famous in their darkest hours. His latest client is 32-year-old Nick Reiner, son of celebrated filmmaker Rob Reiner, who stands accused of a crime that has shocked the entertainment world: the fatal stabbing of both his parents in their Brentwood home. It’s a case that merges family tragedy, mental health questions, and the glaring spotlight of celebrity status in a way that few others have. As Jackson prepares for what might be his most challenging defense yet, he does so with a remarkable track record of courtroom victories and a deep understanding of both sides of the justice system.

Jackson’s career trajectory reads like a Hollywood script itself, moving from prosecutor to defender of the stars with dramatic flair. As a prosecutor, he cemented his reputation by securing a conviction against music producer Phil Spector in 2009 for the murder of actress Lana Clarkson. That case, involving Spector’s eccentric personality and his mansion dubbed the “Pyrenees Castle,” showcased Jackson’s ability to navigate complex evidence and personality dynamics to achieve justice. But it’s his second act as a defense attorney that has truly made him a legal celebrity in his own right. Since leaving the DA’s office, Jackson has built a practice defending high-profile clients on both coasts, demonstrating a versatility and legal acumen that few attorneys possess. As a partner at Werksman Jackson and Quinn in Los Angeles, he has cultivated a reputation as the attorney celebrities call when they’re in serious trouble, someone who understands not just the legal challenges but also the media scrutiny that accompanies such cases.

The diversity of Jackson’s recent cases speaks to his adaptability as a defense attorney. He successfully represented Oscar-winner Kevin Spacey in a sexual assault case that ended with charges being dismissed in 2019. In Massachusetts, far from the Hollywood hills, Jackson secured a complete acquittal for Karen Read on homicide charges in the death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe – a case that captivated the nation with its twists and allegations of framing. The Read case demonstrated Jackson’s ability to dismantle problematic police investigations and create reasonable doubt in jurors’ minds. Though Read was ultimately convicted only of drunk driving and sentenced to probation, the case showcased Jackson’s talent for turning the tables on prosecutors and redirecting scrutiny toward investigative failures. Between these high-profile defenses, Jackson finds time for personal passions as well, recently spotted cruising Los Angeles in a Shelby Cobra replica with a custom engine he described as “a fire-breathing dragon” – perhaps an apt metaphor for his courtroom style.

Not every defense has ended in victory for Jackson. In 2022, he represented disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein during his Los Angeles trial on rape charges, a case that ended with Weinstein’s conviction. This loss stands as a rare exception in Jackson’s remarkable career, where he reportedly maintains a trial success rate exceeding 96%, having taken more than 85 cases to verdict. Now, as he prepares to defend Nick Reiner, Jackson faces a case fraught with emotional complexity. The younger Reiner allegedly fled his parents’ home after killing his 78-year-old father Rob and 70-year-old mother Michele with a knife early on a Sunday morning, before being arrested hours later at Exposition Park. Jackson has already begun managing both the legal and public aspects of the case, explaining to reporters that his client’s delayed arraignment was simply due to procedural medical clearance requirements before court transportation. The gravity of the charges is substantial – Reiner faces potential life imprisonment without parole, and prosecutors have not yet indicated whether they’ll seek the death penalty.

While the Reiner case moves forward, Jackson continues juggling other significant cases, including the defense of Fraser Bohm, a 24-year-old accused of four counts of murder following a deadly Malibu crash that killed four Pepperdine University sorority sisters. The victims – Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir, and Deslyn Williams, all in their early twenties – died when Bohm’s BMW was involved in the tragic accident on Pacific Coast Highway in October 2023. Jackson has contested the “implied malice” murder charges, arguing prosecutors cannot prove Bohm consciously disregarded the danger his actions posed. Ironically, this legal theory of implied malice was one Jackson himself successfully employed as a prosecutor in the Spector case years earlier, demonstrating his comprehensive understanding of California law from multiple perspectives.

The Nick Reiner case likely represents one of Jackson’s most challenging defenses yet, combining elements of mental health, family tragedy, and the intense media scrutiny that accompanies crimes involving Hollywood royalty. Legal experts suggest the defense may hinge on mental competency questions, a strategy Jackson is well-equipped to navigate. As he stands opposite his former colleagues at the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office, Jackson brings decades of legal experience from both sides of the courtroom. Whether representing celebrities like Spacey and Weinstein, everyday citizens like Karen Read, or now Nick Reiner in a case that has shocked Hollywood, Jackson approaches each defense with the same meticulous attention to detail and aggressive advocacy. For the Reiner family, whose contributions to film and culture span generations, this tragedy represents an unimaginable nightmare. For Alan Jackson, it’s another chapter in a legal career defined by high-stakes cases and the complex intersection of justice, celebrity, and human frailty in the city of angels.