Amid the investigation into the double murder of producers Michele and Rob Reiner, which occurred on December 14 in Los Angeles, new legal details shed light on the complex mental health situation of their son and main suspect, Nick Reiner.

According to information revealed by The New York Times and confirmed by According to legal documents, Nick Reiner, 27, was placed under a specialized mental health conservatorship between 2020 and 2021, approximately five years before being charged with the fatal crime. The legal arrangement, known as an LPS conservatorship (referring to the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act of 1967), is a legal instrument specifically designed for individuals deemed “severely disabled” as a result of a mental disorder. According to Entertainment Weekly, unlike the more well-known estate conservatorship, such as the one held by Britney Spears, LPS conservatorships are primarily activated following involuntary psychiatric hospitalizations. The process begins with a medical evaluation which, if deemed necessary, refers the case to the county and ultimately to a judge. This conservatorship has an initial duration of one year, after which it can be renewed or dissolved by the appointed conservator. In Nick's case, the appointed trustee was Steven Baer, ??who told the Times that mental illness “is a widely misunderstood epidemic and this is a terrible tragedy.” A mental health history at the heart of the case. Reports indicate that Nick Reiner was diagnosed with schizophrenia several years ago. According to the NYT, the medication regimen he used to treat the illness had been adjusted in the period leading up to his parents' deaths. Since his arrest, the severity of his condition has become apparent in the court and prison systems. He was prevented from appearing at least one hearing due to a lack of medical clearance, and during his initial incarceration, he was placed on suicide watch, subjected to checks “every 15 minutes” while in solitary confinement. Nick Reiner was arrested hours after his parents were found dead in their Brentwood home. Two days later, he was formally charged with two counts of murder,with the special circumstance of multiple victims and the aggravating circumstance of having used a dangerous and deadly weapon: a knife. As the case progresses, the institutions are maintaining a cautious silence. The Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office, which took over Reiner's defense after attorney Alan Jackson with Drew, has declined to comment.