Nick Reiner’s former trustee has disclosed that he authorised a substantial expenditure of nearly £349,000 from the trust to cover the legal fees of the accused killer’s previous attorney. Reiner, who faces grave charges in relation to the murders of his parents, is seeking access to half of his trust fund to finance his defence.
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According to a recent court filing, the funds that have been disbursed amount to £348,821.14, which were directed towards attorney Alan Jackson, who represented Reiner for a brief stint of two weeks after his arrest. The incident in question occurred in December when Reiner’s parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, were discovered fatally stabbed in their home in Los Angeles.
In the court documents reviewed by PEOPLE, former trustee Paul Kanin rebutted claims that he had improperly managed the trust. He elaborated that the payments made to Jackson were essential to Reiner’s initial legal strategy. However, Kanin ceased further approvals of payments when Nick’s attorney indicated a potential conflict of interest. According to Kanin, there was mention that funds from the trust might be utilised to pursue litigation against other Reiner family trusts.
After resigning from the case, Jackson vacated the position and Reiner is currently represented by public defender Kimberly Greene, who will now take on the responsibility of his defence as he faces serious allegations.
In his preliminary request to access his trust fund, Nick Reiner asserted that he has not received the obligatory distribution from the trust that he is entitled to upon reaching the age of 30. He stated that he requires access to these funds not only for his defence expenses but also for maintaining his jail commissary account.
A court hearing to address the trust matter is slated for 23rd October. This development follows Nick’s recent appearance in court on 7th October, where he was seen with notably longer hair, having previously arrived with a shaved head.
In addition to the financial disputes surrounding Reiner’s trust fund, he has been indicted by a grand jury on two counts of first-degree murder. The charges include specific circumstances of lying in wait and the use of a knife, which complicate his legal situation further.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman has stated his intention not to pursue the death penalty in this case. This decision followed discussions with Reiner’s siblings, Jake and Romy, who were consulted during the process of evaluating the factors involved in this serious case.
Hochman revealed that he had taken into account both the aggravating and mitigating circumstances relevant to special circumstance murder cases before arriving at this decision. The implications of this case continue to unfold as the court proceedings advance and as the communities involved try to process the tragic events that have led to these serious charges against Nick Reiner.