Episode Details
Back to Episodes
Nick Reiner Wants the Defense That FREED a Father Who Killed His Son — Here's Why It Might Not Work
Description
David Carmichael strangled his 11-year-old son to death in 2004 after planning the killing, researching murder charges, and expecting decades in prison. The verdict? Not criminally responsible. He walked out of a psychiatric facility after about two years. The reason he's free today could be the same reason Nick Reiner avoids the death penalty—if anyone believes him.
The TMZ documentary on the Reiner murders explicitly cited the legal standard that saved Carmichael. Under the M'Naghten rule used in California, the insanity defense doesn't require proving you didn't know right from wrong. It only requires proving you didn't understand the "nature and quality" of your actions. Carmichael knew killing was illegal—but in his psychotic state triggered by Paxil, he believed he was saving his son from suffering. The delusion changed what he thought he was doing.
Nick Reiner's schizoaffective disorder medication was reportedly changed one month before the alleged murders after he complained about weight gain. Sources say the change destabilized him profoundly. He now reportedly admits killing his parents but believes his incarceration is a conspiracy against him. Same framework. Same legal standard.
But the differences matter. Carmichael had no history of manipulation—Nick has 30 years of it. Carmichael didn't flee—Nick reportedly checked into a hotel and navigated LA for over 24 hours. The defense that freed Carmichael requires credibility. After a lifetime of gaming every system he's encountered, does Nick Reiner have any left?
#NickReiner #RobReiner #DavidCarmichael #InsanityDefense #TrueCrimeToday #ReinerMurders #MNaghten #CaliforniaLaw #MentalHealth #TrueCrime
Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISDOES & 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.