Photo: Getty Images
Nick Reiner, the son of legendary director and actor Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, could still use his parents' money to pay for legal bills despite California's 'Slayer Statute.'
The 'Slayer Statute' prohibits anyone convicted of "intentionally killing" someone from receiving the victims' estate, with the Reiners' estimated to be valued at around $200 million. Nick, 32, who is known to have dealt with substance issues and was living in his parents' guest house, has already hired high-profile attorney Alan Jackson and it's likely that he was set up as a trustee in his father's will, though it remains unclear whether trust funds are being used to pay legal fees.
Rob and Michele Reiner shared Nick, his older brother, Jake, and younger sister, Romy, while the director had also adopted his oldest daughter, Tracy, from his first marriage to late director and actress Penny Marshall. Nick's siblings or others in line for inheritance could request a trustee of the estate disperse enough funds to ensure he has an adequate attorney, California estate planning lawyer Scott Schomer told the New York Post.
“Sort of like a CEO to shareholders, a trustee works for the beneficiaries,” Schomer said.
“A trustee is holding the assets that belong to the beneficiaries and is making decisions about what to do with the money.”
“Maybe they want to see their brother defended,” he added, acknowledging Nick’s mental health and drug issues.
Nick Reiner made his first appearance in a Los Angeles courthouse Wednesday (December 17) after being charged with two counts of murder in connection with his parents' deaths. The Reiners allegedly got into a "very loud argument" with their son at comedian Conan O'Brien's party, which led to them leaving.
A source had previously told PEOPLE that Nick Reiner was acting erratically at the party.
“Nick was freaking everyone out, acting crazy, kept asking people if they were famous,” an insider told PEOPLE.
Nick had publicly acknowledged his issues with drug addition and homelessness in the past. Rob and Michele Reiner were reported to also have stab wounds to multiple other parts of their bodies, sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed to the New York Post.
Rob Reiner, the son of producer, writer and actor Carl Reiner and actress and singer Estelle Reiner, initially gained national prominence playing Mike 'Meathead' Stivic on All in the Family and is credit with numerous acting roles during a career that spanned seven decades. The New York City native made his directorial debut with the heavy metal mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap (1984) -- having released a sequel earlier this year -- which was followed up by The Sure Thing (1985), Stand By Me (1986), The Princess Bride (1987), When Harry Met Sally...(1989), Misery (1990) and A Few Good Men (1992).