Nick Reiner Seeks Trust Money Amid Murder Charges
LOS ANGELES — Nick Reiner, the son of filmmaker Rob Reiner, is looking to access funds from a trust set up for him by his parents. He claims he needs this money to defend himself against charges related to their murder.
This 32-year-old man filed a petition in Los Angeles County court, asserting that the trustees managing the fund are unjustly denying him the funds. His attorneys argue that he deserves access to the money immediately.
“Nick loved his parents and is heartbroken over their death. Yet, the specifics of what happened to them don’t pertain to this trust dispute,” the petition states. “Like anyone accused of a crime, Nick is presumed innocent and has the right to use resources that rightfully belong to him.”
Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele, were tragically stabbed to death at their Los Angeles home on December 14. Nick was arrested shortly afterward and, later, pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder.
Initially, he had secured the services of a prominent lawyer, Alan Jackson. However, Jackson dropped the case less than a month later, citing a lack of funds for sharing expenses. The filing indicates that Nick’s siblings, Jake and Romy Reiner, had initially agreed to assist with legal fees but changed their minds later on.
In a statement that came with the petition, Jackson expressed his readiness to take on Nick’s case again if funds become accessible.
Besides the significant family trust, Rob and Michele established a smaller personal trust for Nick and his siblings. According to the trust, they would receive half the assets when they turned 30, and the remainder at 35. However, the filing claims that Nick never got the funds he was entitled to at age 30, and the trustee, attorney Paul R. Kanin, has offered multiple excuses for this denial. Concerns unrelated to the mandatory payments were cited.
Nick also argues that he should receive the funds for turning 35 right away, given his legal defense and basic needs while in prison.
The petition estimates the trust’s assets at a minimum of $1.5 million, but Kanin hasn’t disclosed the exact value.
Kanin did not respond promptly to requests for comments made after business hours.
Progress in the Reiner case has been slow, with Nick expected to have a pretrial hearing in September. He faces the death penalty, yet the District Attorney’s office has yet to determine if it will pursue that option.
So far, authorities have not provided any information regarding a motive, and details about the autopsy remain largely under wraps due to court orders. Many foundational questions surrounding the case are still unanswered.
On the day Jackson withdrew from the case, he made a bold statement outside the courtroom, asserting that “under California law, Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder.”
In April, Nick’s brother, Jake Reiner, shared his feelings about their parents’ loss and Nick’s situation, describing it as a “living nightmare” that feels “shocking and incomprehensible.”
Rob Reiner was a celebrated director known for classic films like “This is Spinal Tap,” “Stand By Me,” and “When Harry Met Sally…,” where he met his wife, Michele Singer. They were married for 36 years before their tragic end.
