Sealed Medical Order, Suicide Smock, Unstable Meds: Eric Faddis On Nick Reiner's Competency
Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary
True Crime Today
3.3 • 911 Ratings
🗓️ 16 January 2026
⏱️ 17 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Nick Reiner appeared at his first hearing in a suicide prevention smock. He wasn't medically cleared to be transported initially. Reports say his medications still aren't stabilized. There's a sealed medical order from the judge that reportedly relates to his mental health treatment.
At what point does this shift from "defendant has mental health issues" to a formal competency challenge? Attorney Eric Faddis explains what that process actually looks like in California — and what the sealed order might accomplish for the defense.
Alan Jackson withdrew from the case under circumstances he's "legally and ethically prohibited" from explaining. But he didn't leave quietly. On the courthouse steps, he declared Nick Reiner "not guilty of murder" under California law. That's not a legal ruling — it's a preview of the insanity defense he was building before he walked away.
Jackson's team issued ten subpoenas during their investigation. The judge sealed that list from prosecutors. Eric breaks down what kind of witnesses and records a defense building toward insanity would be subpoenaing — and why keeping that list sealed matters.
Then there's the gas station surveillance video showing Nick calmly buying a drink hours after the murders. Legal experts say that footage "cuts both ways." Eric walks through how prosecution uses it versus how the defense might reframe it.
Nick is charged with two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances. DA Nathan Hochman hasn't ruled out the death penalty, though surviving siblings have reportedly signaled they're not in favor. Eric examines how much victim family input actually influences that decision — and what factors typically push a DA toward death versus life without parole in a parricide case.
#NickReiner #EricFaddis #RobReiner #MicheleReiner #AlanJackson #InsanityDefense #Competency #HiddenKillers #TrueCrime #ReinerCase
Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/
Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/
Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod
X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod
Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
This publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | This is Hidden Killers Live with Tony Brewski, Stacey Cole, and Todd Michaels. |
| 0:09.8 | The Nick Reiner case took a dramatic turn in the last days when high-profile defense attorney |
| 0:16.2 | Alan Jackson, fresh off his Karen, Rita Quiddell, withdrew from representing Nick what was supposed to be his arraignment. |
| 0:23.0 | Jackson said he was legally and ethically prohibited from explaining why, citing circumstances beyond our control and, more importantly, beyond Nick's control. |
| 0:37.1 | But then he walked outside the courthouse |
| 0:39.4 | and told reporters pursuant to the law in california nick riner is not guilty of murder print that |
| 0:44.3 | take that to the bank nick is now represented by deputy public defender kimberly green arraignment has |
| 0:50.0 | been uh pushed now to february 23rd and there's a sealed medical order that sources say relates |
| 0:55.8 | to his mental health treatment. |
| 0:58.1 | He's charged a two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances, multiple murders |
| 1:02.4 | with use of a deadly weapon, which means the DA can seek the death penalty or life without parole. |
| 1:08.3 | In this conviction, I want to break down what's actually happening now legally and what the |
| 1:15.7 | road ahead looks like to help us do that. |
| 1:17.5 | Eric Fattis is with us, defense attorney and former prosecutor. |
| 1:21.7 | Eric, welcome. |
| 1:23.3 | Let's start with Alan Jackson's withdrawal. |
| 1:26.3 | He said he was legally and ethically prohibited from explaining why, but then walked outside to more cameras and declared Nick Ryder not guilty of murder under California law. |
| 1:36.9 | What sort of circumstances would force a high-profile attorney to withdraw from a case while simultaneously continuing to make public declarations about it. |
| 1:45.6 | What does it tell you about where this case is headed, where this defense is headed? |
| 1:50.3 | So there are a number of potential reasons why an attorney would have to legally and ethically |
| 1:55.7 | withdraw. You know, when you're meeting with your client, you're receiving information from |
| 2:00.1 | them, and that is confidential and it's privileged, and you're meeting with your client, you're receiving information from them. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from True Crime Today, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of True Crime Today and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.