A financial steward of Nick Reiner’s $1.6 million trust fund argued in court papers that California’s “slayer statute” prevents Mr. Reiner from receiving that money to defend himself against charges that he murdered his parents.
Mr. Reiner, the younger son of the Hollywood director Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, has pleaded not guilty and has taken legal action to gain access to the money so he can hire a private lawyer. He is currently represented by a public defender.
In court papers filed this week, a professional fiduciary with oversight of the fund Mr. Reiner’s parents established when he was a baby opposed the request. The papers cite a California law known as the slayer statute, which prevents people from inheriting money from someone they “feloniously and intentionally” kill.
In the filing, Ms. Wright wrote that under the slayer statute, the trust funds in this case would be passed to Nick’s siblings, Romy and Jake, and that Ms. Pais Montgomery has a fiduciary responsibility to them as well. She noted that although Mr. Reiner is presumed innocent, releasing the funds now would be “irreversible.”
In a statement, a lawyer for Mr. Reiner, Anita P. Wu, rejected the assertion that the California law applies.
Ms. Wright argued that the question would ultimately be determined by the criminal proceedings. Mr. Reiner was indicted by a grand jury on murder charges in July; he is scheduled to return to court for a pretrial hearing on Sept. 15.
Hanging in the balance of the financial dispute is whether Mr. Reiner, 32, will ultimately be able to rehire Alan Jackson, a high-profile criminal defense lawyer. Mr. Jackson, whose past clients have included Karen Read and Kevin Spacey, briefly represented Mr. Reiner but said in court papers that he was forced to withdraw after Mr. Reiner’s family decided not to fund his services.
For more information see Julia Jacobs and Matt Stevens “‘Slayer Statute’ Blocks Nick Reiner From Trust Fund, Its Steward Says” The New York Times, August 14, 2026.
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