Nick Reiner Trust-Fund Hearing Postponed to October as Defence Counsel Fight Continues
A Los Angeles judge has postponed Nick Reiner's trust-fund hearing to 23 October, delaying his bid to access $1.5 million in trust assets to bankroll a private defence attorney in the murder case stemming from the killings of his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner. Judge Ruben Garcia set the new date at a probate hearing on Monday Variety.
Reiner, 32, has been held without bail in Los Angeles County jail since 14 December, when his parents were found stabbed to death in their Brentwood home. He was arrested the same day and charged with both murders Variety.
Last week, Reiner pleaded not guilty to a grand jury indictment alleging special circumstances of "lying in wait" and "multiple murders." The charges make the case potentially eligible for the death penalty. He is currently represented by a public defender Variety.
At Monday's hearing, Reiner's probate attorney Anita Wu stressed the urgency of unlocking the trust funds so her client can prepare for trial. The trust was set up for Reiner's benefit by his parents shortly after his birth, and his legal team has spent several months trying to gain access to roughly $1.5 million held in it — money Reiner wants to use to rehire prominent criminal defence attorney Alan Jackson Variety; Fox News.
The trustee has authorised only limited payments so far, covering previous legal bills and Reiner's jail commissary account, but has held off on a larger disbursement. In an objection filed last week, the trustee cited California's "slayer statute" — a law that bars a person from inheriting money from someone they are convicted of killing. The trustee also noted that Reiner's siblings, Romy and Jake, would inherit his share of the trust should he predecease them, and must be involved in any resolution Variety; People.
The postponement widens the gap between Reiner and the private counsel he seeks. A pretrial hearing in his criminal case is set for 15 September — five weeks before the rescheduled trust hearing Variety.
Reiner's first court appearance, in December, came with its own restrictions: a judge ruled he could not be shown on camera, and he was seated behind a glass enclosure CBS Mornings.
The case has drawn intense attention given the profile of the Reiner family. Rob Reiner, the son of comedian Carl Reiner, is the director of When Harry Met Sally, A Few Good Men and The Princess Bride, and a prominent political activist. Michele Reiner was a photographer and philanthropist.
