The Nevada Supreme Court docket has ordered the dismissal of a sprawling intercourse abuse indictment in opposition to Nathan Chasing Horse, whereas leaving open the potential of expenses being refiled in a case that despatched shockwaves all through Indian Nation and led to extra felony expenses within the U.S. and Canada.
The complete seven-member courtroom’s choice, issued Thursday, reverses earlier rulings upholding the fees by a three-member panel of the excessive courtroom and a state choose. Proceedings within the 18-count felony case have been at a standstill for greater than a 12 months whereas the previous “Dances with Wolves” actor challenged it.
Kristy Holston, the deputy public defender representing Chasing Horse, had argued that some proof offered to the grand jury, together with an improper definition of grooming that was offered with out professional testimony, had tainted the state’s case. Holston mentioned prosecutors additionally failed to offer the grand jury with exculpatory proof, together with inconsistent statements made by one of many victims.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Division through AP
The excessive courtroom agreed.
“The mixture of those two clear errors undermines our confidence within the grand jury proceedings and created insupportable injury to the unbiased perform of the grand jury course of,” the courtroom mentioned in its scathing order.
Holston declined to remark additional. Prosecutor Stacy Kollins didn’t instantly reply to emails looking for remark.
The ruling directs the choose overseeing the case in Clark County District Court docket to dismiss the indictment with out prejudice, that means the fees could be refiled.
“The allegations in opposition to Chasing Horse are indisputably severe, and we specific no opinion about Chasing Horse’s guilt or innocence,” the order says.
Chasing Horse’s lawyer had additionally had argued that the case ought to be dismissed as a result of, the previous actor mentioned, the sexual encounters had been consensual. Considered one of his accusers was youthful than 16, the age of consent in Nevada, when the alleged abuse started, authorities mentioned.
The 48-year-old has been in custody since his arrest final January close to the North Las Vegas house he’s mentioned to have shared with 5 wives. Inside the house, police discovered firearms, 41 kilos of marijuana and psilocybin mushrooms, and a reminiscence card with movies of sexual assaults, CBS Information beforehand reported. Police mentioned that at the least two of the ladies had been underage when he married them: One was 15, police mentioned, and one other was 16.
Ty O’Neil / AP
Chasing Horse is greatest recognized for portraying Smiles A Lot within the 1990 movie “Dances with Wolves.” However within the a long time since starring within the Oscar-winning film, authorities mentioned, he constructed a fame as self-proclaimed drugs man amongst tribes and traveled round North America to carry out therapeutic ceremonies. An arrest warrant said that he’s believed to be the chief of a cult referred to as “The Circle,” whose followers consider he can talk with increased powers, CBS Information beforehand reported.
He’s accused of utilizing that place to realize entry to susceptible women and girls beginning within the early 2000s.
He additionally faces felony sexual abuse expenses in at the least 4 different jurisdictions, together with U.S. District Court docket in Nevada and on the Fort Perk Indian Reservation in Montana.
Tribal leaders voted to ban him from the Montana reservation in 2015, citing alleged trafficking and accusations of drug dealing, religious abuse and intimidation of tribal members.
Las Vegas police arrested Chasing Horse in January 2023. The arrest helped legislation enforcement companies in two international locations corroborate long-standing allegations in opposition to the previous actor. The Canadian Broadcasting Company reported that police in southern Alberta have been investigating his potential connection to previous sexual assaults.
