Originally appeared on E! Online.
Alan Jackson is sharing his side of the story.
One week after Nick Reiner‘s legal counsel announced that he had withdrawn from the case — in which his now-former client has been charged for the murders of his parents Rob Reiner and Michele Reiner — the attorney gave insight into his decision.
“Everybody’s got that same looming question, and I am compelled because of legal standards and ethical obligations — there’s certain things I simply can’t divulge,” Jackson explained on the Jan. 13 episode of Sirius XM’s “Let’s Talk Off Camera with Kelly Ripa,” “in terms of why there was a change in counsel, why we stepped away and the public defender’s office stepped in.”
“My team — me personally and my team — remain completely and utterly committed to Nick’s best interest,” The lawyer — who also previously represented Karen Read, Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey — continued. “We always will be committed to his best interests. I want nothing but the best for him and I want him to get the most robust defense that he possibly can get.”
READ: Alan Jackson says former client Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder
During Jackson’s Jan. 7 announcement, he confirmed that Reiner — who was formally charged with two counts of first-degree murder with a special circumstance of multiple murders — would be assigned a public defender in the case. (Reiner’s arraignment has been postponed until Feb. 23 following Jackson’s withdrawal.)
And the 60-year-old — who previously said that he believes Reiner is not guilty under California law — was sure to praise Reiner’s new counsel Kimberly Greene.
“I have a lot of faith in the public defender’s office,” he said on the Jan. 12 episode of the “Hot Mics with Billy Bush” podcast. “I have a lot of faith in their representation, they’re outstanding, outstanding, legal professionals.”
“I was doing a favor to the truth,” he continued. “We had worked at that time, it was about three weeks almost to the day, we had worked tirelessly. Nearly every waking hour, our entire team, and you saw the team behind me.”
Jackson felt it was necessary to emphasize his beliefs regarding Reiner’s innocence after his announcement.
“It was important for me to write some wrongs that had been printed, lots of speculation, lots of people who want to believe certain things,” he explained. “Obviously, something happened with my ability, and my team’s ability, to continue the representation, but I don’t want you, your audience, or anybody else to start speculating as to what that might be. I have not said a word about it.”
As for whether Jackson would consider rejoining Reiner’s legal team? As he put it, “The withdrawal is in the books, the court has relieved me of his counsel, and that’s where it stands, moving forward.”
Nick Reiner, charged with murdering his parents Rob and Michele Reiner, lost his private legal defense team at a hearing this week. But the judge also discussed an ongoing defense investigation that may suggest where the criminal case is headed. Plus, moment by moment of what happened in court, and what the lawyers said outside.
