Nick Reiner cites grandfather Carl in push to access trust funds ahead of parents’ murder trial
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Nick Reiner’s attorneys are asking a Los Angeles judge to give him access to money in a trust created for him as a baby, arguing that a substantial portion of the funds came from his grandfather, Carl Reiner, rather than his parents.
His attorneys argue that the money should not be restricted under California’s Slayer Statute. Nick has been held at Twin Towers Correctional Facility for almost a year after being accused of killing his parents, filmmaker Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner.
Nick Reiner’s lawyers cite grandfather’s inheritance
In court documents obtained by the Daily Mail, Nick’s attorneys argued that the Slayer Statute does not apply to money left to him by his grandfather.
The statute can prevent someone who unlawfully kills another person from financially benefiting from that death.
“The Slayer Statute prevents a killer from receiving a benefit created by the killing. It takes away what a person receives because someone died; it does not divest a person of his pre-existing property,” the documents explain.
The attorneys argued that a substantial portion of Nick’s trust came from Carl Reiner, who left money to Nick in his estate plan, along with similar distributions to his other grandchildren.
“A substantial portion of the funds currently held in Nick’s Trust did not even come from Nick’s parents – it was money that Nick’s grandfather, Carl Reiner, left to Nick in his estate plan, with similar distributions to his other grandchildren,” the filing states.
The filing identified at least $325,017.49 that was transferred into Nick’s trust account at JPMorgan Chase Bank on December 24, 2024.
It also said other distributions Nick received from his grandfather may have been deposited into accounts held by the trust.
“It is not clear how much of the money in the Trust came from his grandfather, or why that money was deposited into Nick’s Trust account, rather than to Nick individually,” the documents state.
Nick Reiner’s lawyers challenge Slayer Statute restrictions
Nick’s attorneys argued that the money from Carl should be treated separately because he died on June 29, 2020, and Nick is not accused of causing his death.
“Either way, the Slayer Statute has no application to that money. Nick’s grandfather died on June 29, 2020. Nick is not accused of causing his death,” the filing states.
The attorneys further argued that money left to Nick by Carl was not connected to his parents. “Money that was left to Nick by his grandfather is not money received by Nick from or through his parents,” they wrote.
They said any funds Nick received from Carl that are considered his personal assets should be segregated and released from the trust.
They also argued that even if the money was properly held by the trust, the Slayer Statute did not provide a basis for withholding it.
“In the meantime, Nick still has not been able to access even $5 from his trust to buy basic subsistence items from the jail commissary,” his attorneys wrote.
