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Prosecutors will not seek death penalty for Nick Reiner if convicted of killing parents

News imageGetty Images Nick Reiner appears in courtGetty Images

Prosecutors will not seek the death penalty against Nick Reiner, who is accused of murdering his parents, Hollywood director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Reiner.

Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman said prosecutors made the decision after "a rigorous review" and wishes of the Reiners' loved ones.

"We did speak with Nick Reiner's siblings (and) they made their views very clear," Hochman told reporters ahead of a pretrial hearing on Wednesday.

Prosecutors said this meant the maximum punishment Nick Reiner will face is life in prison without the possibility of parole, if convicted.

Hochman also said on Tuesday that the trial would not begin until next year.

Rob and Michele Reiner were found stabbed to death in their Los Angeles home last year. Their bodies were reportedly discovered by their daughter Romy on 14 December.

The couple died from "multiple sharp force injuries", the LA County medical examiner said at the time.

Prosecutors allege that Nick Reiner, the couples' youngest son, fatally stabbed his father and mother inside a bedroom of their home before fleeing. He was arrested in Los Angeles the same day.

The 33-year-old faces two counts of first-degree murder, with a special circumstance alleging multiple murders. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Rob Reiner, 78, directed films including This Is Spinal Tap, the Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally and Stand By Me.

Michele Singer Reiner, 70, was an actress, photographer and producer, and the founder of Reiner Light, a photography agency and production company.

It is unclear if Nick Reiner will appear in court on Tuesday for a hearing about unsealing transcripts from the grand jury that returned the indictment against him.

Reiner's siblings, Jake and Romy, have asked for the transcripts to remain sealed because "the disclosure to the public and media of the details and evidence of the killing of their parents will cause them additional trauma and harm", Hochman said.