Rob Reiner's Son Argues Trust Funds Should Be Accessible for Defense, Citing Grandfather's Bequests
Attorneys for Nick Reiner, accused of murdering his parents, claim a significant portion of his trust was left by his grandfather Carl Reiner and thus not subject to the Slayer Statute.
Attorneys for Nick Reiner, the son of filmmaker Rob Reiner, are arguing that he should be granted access to a trust fund established for him as a baby, asserting that a substantial portion of the approximately $1.6 million in the trust originates from his late grandfather, Carl Reiner. Nick Reiner has been in custody for nearly a year, facing two counts of murder with special circumstances, including lying in wait, in connection with the deaths of his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner.
He has pleaded not guilty to the charges. The trustee managing the account has withheld funds, citing California's Slayer Statute, which can prevent individuals from financially benefiting from a death they unlawfully caused. However, Reiner's legal team contends the statute does not apply to funds inherited from his grandfather, who died in 2020, as Nick Reiner is not accused of causing Carl Reiner's death.
Court documents indicate that at least $325,017.49 was transferred into Nick Reiner's trust account from his grandfather's estate on December 24, 2024. Lawyers argue that money left by his grandfather is Reiner's pre-existing property and should not be subject to the Slayer Statute, which they state 'does not divest a person of his pre-existing property.' The specifics of how much of the trust's funds originated from Carl Reiner and why they were deposited into Nick's trust account are still under investigation by the successor trustee.
Reiner's attorneys have also argued that their client cannot access even basic necessities from the jail commissary due to the frozen funds. The trust, created by Rob and Michele Reiner in 1993, names Nick as the sole beneficiary. His lawyers assert that he was entitled to at least $558,000 when he turned 30 on September 14, 2023, before his parents' deaths, a point they emphasize to support their claim that the funds are not derived from the alleged killings.
Sources close to the family have indicated that Nick's siblings, Jake and Romy Reiner, are united in their refusal to allow their inheritance to be used for his defense. A family friend suggested the siblings are establishing boundaries for their own healing process. Tracy Reiner, Rob Reiner's adopted daughter from his marriage to Penny Marshall, is also reportedly in agreement with withholding the funds.
Reiner's legal team has criticized the fees incurred by the trustees' attorneys, which they claim exceed $250,000 and are being paid from the disputed trust. They also allege that a former trustee, Paul R. Kanin, agreed but failed to deposit funds into Reiner's commissary account. Kanin has resigned as trustee and denies breaching his fiduciary duties.
Successor trustee Jodi Pais Montgomery opposes releasing the funds while the murder prosecution is ongoing, seeking clarity on the Slayer Statute's applicability. Reiner's attorneys argue that the financial freeze severely prejudices his ability to defend himself, noting that he has been unable to pay for private counsel and experts since January, and is currently represented by a public defender. High-powered attorney Alan Jackson, who initially represented Reiner, has indicated he could return if the funding dispute is resolved.