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Nick Reiner Pleads Not Guilty; Chaos in Mexico; Former British Ambassador Arrested. Aired 1-1:30p ET

Aired February 23, 2026 - 13:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: High-profile arrest, as the former British Ambassador to the U.S. Peter Mandelson is arrested. He's accused of passing information to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

ERICA HILL, CNN HOST: Chaos in Mexico. The killing of a drug lord leads to violence across the country. The U.S. urging Americans in Mexico to -- quote -- "seek shelter" and remain in residences or hotels.

And the bomb cyclone, the Northeast pummeled with widespread blizzard conditions, knocking out power, burying towns under feet of snow, blizzard warnings still in place for more than 40 million people.

We're following these major developing stories and many more all coming in right here to CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

KEILAR: We're following breaking news out of the U.K., where there's just been another high-level arrest stemming from the Jeffrey Epstein files.

Former British Ambassador to the U.S. Peter Mandelson was taken in for questioning this morning for suspicion of misconduct in public office. That is the same language that police used in describing last week's arrest of former Prince Andrew.

CNN international anchor and royal correspondent Max Foster is tracking this story for us.

Max, what have you learned?

MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: So you can see Peter Mandelson there leaving his home in North London with police. He was arrested. They have also checked his home in Wiltshire. So this investigation started earlier in the month.

It's about misconduct in public office, which is the same allegation leveled against Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. He's accused or alleged to have shared market-sensitive government information with Jeffrey Epstein at a time when he was a government minister under Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

He was of course, latterly, until last year, the U.S. ambassador for the U.K. And when the depth of his relationship became clear, the prime minister sacked him. But this is a story that has really rocked Parliament, because huge questions as to why the prime minister appointed him, didn't vet him properly at that time.

And he's looked very vulnerable in his position. Now this whole case has escalated to another level, so, currently, Parliament actually investigating the vetting process and the role the prime minister had in that. So this is much bigger than Peter Mandelson, but no doubt shows how Epstein's tentacles into the British establishment were deep, into government, into Parliament, into the palace, and indeed into business.

KEILAR: And, Max, do we know what the next steps are here?

FOSTER: So he will be questioned at a police station. He hasn't been charged yet. He may choose not to answer any questions, but he will be presented with all the evidence they managed to gather at his homes.

I think we can pretty clearly make the judgment that they have made some discoveries that warranted this arrest. And then he could be released and rearrested. It's the same situation that we're with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the police doing very deep level of investigations into their computers and any communications they might have had with Epstein and anything else that they discover actually now they have access to all of that data.

KEILAR: Yes, very interesting.

All right, Max, we know that you will follow all the developments -- Erica.

HILL: At this hour, tens of millions of Americans are under states of emergency and blizzard warnings, at least four states already recording more than two feet of snow, and these intense conditions are prompting in terms like snowicane, in some places, wind gusts actually hitting 75 miles per hour.

That is the equivalent of a Category 1 hurricane. The storm also, understandably, really having an impact in visibility. In some areas, it is nearly impossible, and those whiteout conditions crippling travel. There are also power outages across multiple states, and, in addition, the thousands of flights that have been canceled.

Take a look at the scene in Boston just a short time ago.

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MICHAEL YOSHIDA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Blizzard-type conditions here in Boston, Massachusetts. See, we got the gusts picking up at points. We have a lot of snow coming down. You can see some of the snow, they have already started to pile up here in downtown Boston. We're right by the harbor, right near the New England Aquarium, for those who are familiar with this spot. And, normally, as we're looking up towards the rest of downtown, you

would be able to see some of the buildings. Obviously, we have some of those whiteout conditions.

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HILL: That is really something.

for the latest timing as well as the threats that remain, I want to bring in meteorologist Derek Van Dam.

So, Derek, where do things stand at this hour?

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DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: OK, so we can add another state to the two-foot club. We have five states now that have recorded more than 24 inches.

Here's just one of them. This is coming out of West Warwick, Rhode Island. Look at the snow depth here. And what's interesting to note about this is, this is extremely heavy and very wet snowfall. We call this hardpack snow because it is so challenging to actually shovel.

So I want to show you what's still to come, because the radar has not quieted down in many locations. And just for reference, here's a look at those two-foot-plus snow totals from New York through Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Jersey.

And, yes, you call it a snowicane, not an official word, but definitely a loose reference to what's happening off the New England coastline right now. Look at that eye. And the pressure that dropped to 966 millibars, that is equivalent to a typical Category 2 hurricane, the wind gusts there exceeding 75 miles per hour, so, impressive.

And that's pushing around the snow. That's why we have the blizzard warnings in effect. Here's the current warnings, at least the wind gusts, Nantucket at 63 miles per hour, still gusting into the 20-to-30 mile-per-hour range in New York City. The snow has come to an end for Washington and Baltimore, right?

But the Delmarva Peninsula, stretching into New Jersey, northeastern sections of this region, really Long Island, that's areas still getting quite a clip here, one-to-two-inch snowfall rates setting up right over Manhattan as we speak, and then the heaviest snowfall rates still right across Rhode Island and into Southeastern Massachusetts, just south of Boston.

This clip right here, the heavy banding that you see, that's coming right off of the ocean. So we could still pick up an additional six, eight -- six to, locally higher, eight inches of snow on top of what's already accumulated. So what's making this so challenging is that this is heavy, wet snow, and it's accumulating on the power lines and the tree limbs. And when you have winds gusting in excess of hurricane force in some

instances. That will bring downed power lines. That will bring down tree limbs. And that is why we're seeing the customers without power clocking in over 600,000 right now as it stands, so, an impressive storm.

It's going to exit off the coastline later this evening from west to east. Expect snow through the evening rush hour tonight if people are still moving about the roadways in Boston, but still major impacts from this storm system, including the wind that will settle in behind it -- Erica.

HILL: Yes, it is really something.

Derek, appreciate it. Thank you.

Still ahead here: the unrest in Mexico prompting new warnings for American tourists, many of whom are now stranded. We will speak with one man sheltering in place in Puerto Vallarta.

And ahead: fresh protests erupting in Tehran as the U.S. positions military forces in the Middle East. A closer look at President Trump's options -- that and much more coming up right here on CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

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HILL: We're following the breaking news out of Mexico, where thousands of travelers are stuck at this point, trapped, many of them, after a wave of violence sparked by the killing of the country's most powerful cartel boss, organized crime groups lashing out with counterattacks after the drug kingpin known as El Mencho was killed in a Mexican military operation.

There have been shoot-outs, explosions, buildings and vehicles set on fire, roadblocks. Mexican officials say the clashes have already resulted in dozens of deaths, including 25 members of the National Guard.

Now, this outbreak of deadly violence is also prompting urgent warnings from the U.S. and other governments. The State Department says Americans in several Mexican states, including popular vacation spots in Jalisco, Baja California, should seek shelter and also minimize any unnecessary movements.

Blake Hayes is one of those Americans who is still in Mexico and could be there for some time. He's joining us now from Puerto Vallarta.

So, Blake, it's good to have you with us.

I mean, just give us a sense. We see this beautiful background, of course, behind you. What is it actually like for you right now there in Puerto Vallarta? What are you being told?

BLAKE HAYES, SHELTERING IN PLACE IN PUERTO VALLARTA: It's -- well, the hard thing is to get information, honestly.

A lot of it has had to come through like Reddit and social media, which we know is incredibly unreliable. So we have seen posts that said if you're on the street after 12:00 noon, you could be shot. That didn't end up being the case, also that the airport was under attack. That wasn't really the case.

But our flight, we couldn't get to the airport. Ubers weren't running. We're told to stay in our hotel and stay off the street. My husband was just a few blocks that way when it happened. It was like 9:00 at -- 9:00 in the morning yesterday. He was going to check out a gym, and I had fallen back asleep.

And I woke up to frantic calls from him: "Blake. I'm scared. The streets aren't safe. I just got pulled into a condo building. She told me not to leave." And he took a risk and we stayed on the phone and he ran to the hotel. And we have been holed up here since.

And it's a really weird contrast of like this beautiful setting, and we're lucky to be in a nice hotel that has food and water. Some of our friends in Airbnbs don't have that. So it's a strange contrast of feeling safe here, but then yesterday we were seeing plumes of smoke go up and that were getting closer.

And that was obviously really scary.

HILL: Yes, it is. And just -- and even just the story you tell about your husband, right, trying to make its way back safely, being pulled in by essentially a good samaritan.

What are you -- the fact that you're able to stay in your hotel, is the hotel giving you any information?

HAYES: They communicate with us over text, initially that said you should stay in the hotel. We're getting word that there could be some violence related to the cartel. We have everything you need. Stay inside.

The door out front, which is normally wide open even at 2:00 in the morning, because that's how safe it always feels here, was shut for the first time since we have seen it. But, yes, the communication has been a problem.

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We have had to kind of seek out communication, see what people are saying who know and are -- what they're literally seeing from their rooftops in the area.

HILL: Are you -- I don't know if you have had a chance to speak with any of the employees there, right? So, locals and what they're being told, whether they're able to go home or not, do you know what the impact is on them at this moment?

HAYES: Yes. Yes, honestly, that's been, like, some of the heartbreaking -- because

they're doing such a great job taking care of us while trying to make sure that their own families are OK. There was a woman who we talked to in the elevator who lives about 20 minutes away.

She gets home and back toward -- by bus. The buses weren't running. Many of them were burnt. So she was stuck here. A lot of the other employees were too, one that lives 40 minutes away, but couldn't leave. I just talked to a bartender who works here. And his wife and kids and mother are worried, but they're safe.

But, obviously, they have to be separated. We're lucky enough that we can be together and just make sure that we're OK.

HILL: Do you have any sense of when you may be able to go home?

HAYES: Well, we live in Maine, which has had snow issues that you were just reporting. So our flight was already going to be messed up. We were supposed to fly out today.

We tried to rebook. We couldn't get to the airport anyway. So right now we're rebooked for Thursday, and we're hearing that some planes have landed, but there's just not planes that came in to fly us out. But, right now, our flight hasn't had any news that it's not happening on Thursday.

And I know some folks, I saw them getting their suitcases ready today. I'm not sure if they're getting out today.

HILL: All right, Blake, really appreciate it. Thank you. Good luck.

HAYES: Thanks.

HILL: And we will continue, of course, to follow that situation.

Meantime, ahead here on CNN NEWS CENTRAL, we are following more breaking news out of California, Nick Reiner pleading not guilty to charges of murdering his parents, famed director Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner -- what we can expect next in this case.

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KEILAR: We have breaking news into CNN.

Nick Reiner has pleaded not guilty to the murders of his parents, Rob and Michele.

CNN's Nick Watt was inside of the courtroom. He's with us now from Los Angeles.

Nick, what happened in court?

NICK WATT, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Nick Reiner's demeanor, I would say, was impassive. He came in wearing short-sleeve brown prison overalls, his head closely shaved, shackled. He chatted briefly to his public defender before proceedings began, and it was that public defender who entered the not guilty plea on his behalf.

Now, afterwards, the DA of Los Angeles came out and spoke. He said, this is a potential death penalty case. We will be taking that decision very seriously. We will be deliberating. We will not take that lightly, as you would expect.

Now, the only word Nick Reiner said in court was "Yes" when the judge asked if he understood that he was essentially waiving his right to a speedy preliminary hearing. A tentative date has been set for April 29, but it appears, from the DA's side, there is a lot of discovery, a lot of information they have already gathered and passed on to the defense, but there is more still to come.

They are still waiting, for example, for the coroner's report. So it's going to be April, earliest, end of April that we're going to see Nick Reiner back in a courtroom. Now, it was interesting today he was not wearing that suicide prevention vest as he has at previous hearings. As I say, he seemed impassive.

Now, this story, of course, huge here in Hollywood, Rob Reiner one of the most beloved and vaunted stars of this town, started out as an actor and then as a moviemaker, a guy can make "Princess Bride" and "Misery" and "A Few Good Men."

He was also, by all accounts, just a much-loved man. Now, Reiner and his wife were stabbed to death in the master bedroom area of their home in Brentwood, California, in the early hours the morning after a holiday party at Conan O'Brien's house.

Now, Nick Reiner, their son, had been living in their guesthouse at the time. He's 32, has struggled for many, many years with mental health and addiction issues. And he was arrested that Sunday night, taken into custody without any fight. Unclear what exactly his fate is going to be here.

As I say, we don't yet know exactly when the next hearing will be and the DA has not made the decision yet on whether they will seek the death penalty, two counts first-degree murder. Death is an option. We do not yet know if that is an option that the district attorney will pursue -- back to you.

KEILAR: All right, Nick Watt. And he's pleaded not guilty, so we will be looking to see what does happen next.

WATT: Not guilty.

KEILAR: Yes, thank you very much.

President Trump's disapproval rating hitting a new low with a key voting bloc. We're going to talk to a Republican lawmaker about what he wants to hear from the president during tomorrow's State of the Union.

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HILL: We're continuing to follow the breaking news out of the U.K., where former British Ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson was taken in and questioned by authorities in connection with the Epstein files.

Now, that high-level arrest happened this morning. Mandelson was escorted from his North London home on suspicion of misconduct in public office. And that is the same language that police use in describing last week's arrest of former Prince Andrew.

Mandelson is suspected of passing market-sensitive information to Epstein during his term, during Mandelson's term as Britain's business secretary.

Elie Honig joins me now. He's CNN legal analyst, former assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, former state and federal prosecutor.

So, Elie, when we look at this, so he's accused of passing sensitive information to Jeffrey Epstein when he was business secretary in the U.K. government. It's fascinating to watch what is happening across the pond, what is happening or not happening here.

Do you see a different approach in terms of the information that has come out in the Epstein files when it comes to law enforcement?

ELIE HONIG, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: Well, I see a starkly different approach, Erica.

What it appears that the U.K. authorities have done is taken the documents or some of the documents that are in the Epstein files library, which was put online by our DOJ just about 23 or 24 days ago.