Nick Reiner's legal team is petitioning a Los Angeles court for access to a $1.5 million trust fund established by his parents, contending that the fund is being depleted by trustees since Reiner was charged with their murders. The defense argues that Reiner requires access to the funds to secure a private legal team as he faces charges in the December stabbing deaths of his parents, acclaimed Hollywood director Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Reiner, at their Los Angeles home.
The appointed fiduciary overseeing the trust has denied Reiner access, citing California's "slayer statute." This law prohibits individuals from financially benefiting from the estate or trust of someone they have "feloniously and intentionally" killed. Reiner, who was arrested hours after the incident, has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Lauriann Wright, legal counsel for the fiduciary, acknowledged Reiner's presumed innocence in a court filing but asserted that releasing the funds now would be irreversible. Reiner's public defense attorney, Anita Wu, argued that her client should have begun receiving payments from the trust upon turning 30 two years ago and has not. Wu stated that the trust is being diminished by attorney's fees due to delays and proceedings.
A hearing is scheduled for October to address the request for access to the trust account. Reiner's former high-profile criminal attorney, Alan Jackson, expressed his belief that Reiner is entitled to use his own money to select his legal counsel, stating that this would enable him to defend himself as constitutionally provided.
Jackson had previously requested and received payment from Reiner's trust for services rendered after Reiner was unable to cover his fees, a situation that led to Reiner's public defender taking over his case in January. Reiner was indicted on two counts of murder last week and is scheduled for a pretrial hearing on September 15. If convicted, he faces a potential death sentence or life in prison without parole. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has yet to announce whether it will seek the death penalty.