A former ‘Dances with Wolves’ cast member charged Sexual abuse of Aboriginal women and girls The U.S. and Canada have been asking for a judge in Nevada for two decades full prosecution against him in state court.
Nathan Chasing Horse, 46, claimed the sexual encounters with the two women identified as victims in the Nevada case were consensual. One of them was under 16 — the legal age of consent in Nevada — when she said the abuse began.
Clark County District Court Judge Carli Kierny said Wednesday she will make a decision by the end of the week. She could deny Chasing Horse’s request or dismiss some or all of the charges, though her interviews with the state’s attorney and Chasing Horse’s public defender gave no indication of how she might rule.
Clark County Jury Chasing Horse, 46, was indicted in February Accused of sexual assault of minors, kidnapping, child abuse, lewdness and drug trafficking. He has been in the county jail since Jan. 31, when he was arrested by SWAT officers near the home he shared with five wives in North Las Vegas.
He also faces sexual abuse charges in Canada and United States District Court Nevada, and the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in Montana.
Prosecutors and police say Chasing Horse, known for playing “Laughs Much” in Kevin Costner’s Oscar-winning film, marketed himself to tribes across the country as a curator Apothecaries with abilities and the ability to communicate with higher beings.They accused him of taking advantage of his position lead a cult Known as The Circle, reaching out to vulnerable girls and women and taking underage wives.
According to court documents, the alleged crimes date back to the early 2000s and occurred in Canada and several U.S. states, including Nevada, Montana and South Dakota.
Clark County Attorney Stacey Collins told a judge Wednesday that the horse-chasing account was offensive, pointing to the age at which one of the victims said the abuse began.
“She was taken away at 14 because her mom was sick and she was told her virginity was the only pure part of her left and she had to sacrifice that to keep her mom healthy,” Collins said. “To gloss it over, call it transactional, and say there’s no evidence of disagreement, it would take a lot of license to match the facts.”
As Collins spoke, the mother of one of the victims wept in the gallery, which was packed with Horse Chase supporters.
Public defender Kristy Holston argued that the Clark County District Attorney’s Office’s 19-count indictment went overboard and that some of the evidence presented to the grand jury — including the definition of grooming — tarnished cases in the state.
“It’s different from non-consent,” she said, adding, “Sex workers, for example, don’t want to have sex with their clients. But their motivation for doing so isn’t lust.”
Outside court, Holston declined further comment, while Collins did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press seeking further comment.
Chasing Horse is currently scheduled to appear in the state on May 1. He pleaded not guilty and exercised his right to stand trial within 60 days of being charged.
He will return to state court Monday morning for a hearing on another motion to have a judge try him on three counts. Chasing Horse and his attorneys have argued that the sexual assault allegations in the state indictment are unrelated to the drug trafficking charges.
—Rio Yamat, Associated Press
Legal and Judicial Sexual Abuse