Nick Reiner Demands Access to $1.5M Trust to Pay for Lawyer in Parents’ Murder Case

Accused murderer Nick Reiner is reportedly desperate to get access to his trust fund so he can hire a lawyer and pay for basic necessities in jail.

In December, Nick was arrested after his parents Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner were found dead in their Los Angeles home. He has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder. 

In February, Nick entered a not guilty plea.

Now, People magazine reports Nick, whose current public defender is Kimberly Greene, has filed a petition in California court asking for funds from his trust.

The petition states, "Nick loved his parents, and he is devastated by their deaths. But the facts about what did and did not happen to them are not at issue in this Trust litigation.”

People reports, per the petition, that Rob and Michele set up individual trusts for Nick and his siblings Jake and Romy.

The petition claims that Nick was to receive half of his trust at age 30, and half at 35. Nick is now 32.

According to the docs, Nick has not received the first payment nor been informed of how much is in the trust. The petition states the trust is estimated to hold more than $1.5 million.

The petition states that the current trustee has "offered a shifting series of excuses and justifications,” and "unsubstantiated 'concerns' about Nick's so-called competence to 'manage a trust.'”

The petition goes on to say that the trust is “irrevocable” and the trustee can’t withhold funds because a beneficiary is deemed incompetent, noting that furthermore, "there is no judicial declaration that Nick is incompetent, nor has he been determined to lack capacity by the written statement of two licensed physicians."

The papers add, "The stakes for Nick could not be higher,” stating he needs to pay for "basic necessities while incarcerated" and legal counsel.

The petition also touches on why Nick’s previous lawyer, Alan Jackson, abruptly left the case in January.

The docs explain that Alan’s payment was negotiated by “Nick’s siblings on his behalf,” adding that Jackson was “forced to withdraw” because the funds were not made available from Nick’s trust or any other family trust.

People reports that a declaration was included, stating that Jackson is "committed to representing" Nick and willing to consider an alternative to the “original fee arrangement.”

Reiner was arrested after his parents were found dead in their Los Angeles home on December 14.

According to the Medical Examiner’s office, Rob and Michele died from “multiple sharp force injuries.” The manner of death for both was listed as “homicide.”

It was previously reported that Rob, Michele and Nick attended Conan O’Brien’s Christmas party the night before the couple was murdered.

Family sources recently told TMZ that Rob and Nick got into a “very loud argument” at the holiday bash.

Nick is expected back in court September 15. 

If Nick is convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life without the possibility of parole, or the death penalty.