Government wants money from life insurance policies of San Bernardino terror shooter given to victims' families

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KABC) -- Nearly nine months after the Dec. 2 San Bernardino terror attack, the U.S. government is hoping to seize two life insurance policies belonging to shooter Syed Farook, who was killed by police.

Government officials hope to give the money, which is more than a quarter million, to family members of the shooting victims.

However, Farook's mother, the beneficiary of the policy, believes she should get the money because she had no knowledge of nor any participation in the shooting.

A judge may have the final word on who gets the insurance policies.

"Based on the language of the statute, I think the government has a harder hill to climb," Gilbert Holmes said.

Holmes, dean for the college of law at the University of La Verne, said it is possible the government would have to prove that terrorism is the reason Farook decided to obtain the policy in the first place.

"I think it might be really challenging for the government to show the nexus between acquiring the policy and the act of terrorism," he added.

Rene Reyes, partner of Larry Kaufman who was one of the victims, told Eyewitness News that he has "nothing to gain or lose" on either decision the judge makes.