"Dances with Wolves" actor is again indicted on sexual abuse charges

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Why Biden apologized to Native Americans

Why Biden apologized to Native Americans 03:27

A expansive assemblage successful Nevada has again indicted Nathan Chasing Horse connected charges that he sexually abused Indigenous women and girls for decades, reviving a sweeping criminal case against nan erstwhile "Dances pinch Wolves" actor.

The 21-count indictment unsealed Thursday successful Clark County District Court, which includes Las Vegas, again charges nan 48-year-old pinch intersexual assault, lewdness and kidnapping. It besides adds felony charges of producing and possessing kid intersexual maltreatment materials.

It comes aft nan Nevada Supreme Court successful September ordered nan dismissal of Chasing Horse's original indictment, while leaving unfastened nan anticipation for charges to beryllium refiled. The tribunal sided pinch Chasing Horse, saying successful its scathing bid that prosecutors had abused nan expansive assemblage process.

Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson quickly vowed to activity different indictment.

The first 18-count indictment charged Chasing Horse pinch much than a twelve felonies. He had pleaded not guilty.

His lawyer, Kristy Holston, had besides based on that nan lawsuit should beryllium dismissed because, nan erstwhile character said, nan intersexual encounters were consensual. One of his accusers was younger than 16, nan property of consent successful Nevada, erstwhile nan maltreatment began, according to nan indictment.

Neither Wolfson nor Holston instantly responded Thursday to telephone aliases emailed requests for comment.

Best known for portraying nan characteristic Smiles A Lot successful nan 1990 movie "Dances pinch Wolves," Chasing Horse was calved connected nan Rosebud Reservation successful South Dakota, which is location to nan Sicangu Sioux, 1 of nan 7 tribes of nan Lakota nation.

After starring successful nan Oscar-winning film, authorities person said, he propped himself up arsenic a self-proclaimed Lakota medicine man while walking astir North America to execute treatment ceremonies.

He is accused of utilizing that position to summation nan spot of susceptible Indigenous women and girls, lead a cult and return underage wives.

Chasing Horse's apprehension past January reverberated astir Indian Country and helped rule enforcement successful nan U.S. and Canada corroborate long-standing allegations against him, starring to much criminal charges, including connected nan Fort Peck Indian Reservation successful Montana. Tribal leaders had banished Chasing Horse successful 2015 from nan preservation amid allegations of quality trafficking.

The 48-year-old has been successful custody since his apprehension past January adjacent nan North Las Vegas location he is said to person shared pinch 5 wives. Inside nan home, constabulary recovered firearms, 41 pounds of marijuana and psilocybin mushrooms, and a representation paper pinch videos of intersexual assaults, CBS News antecedently reported. Police said that astatine slightest 2 of nan women were underage erstwhile he joined them: One was 15, constabulary said, and different was 16.

When nan Nevada Supreme Court ordered nan dismissal of Chasing Horse's indictment, nan judges said they were not weighing successful connected his guilt aliases innocence, calling nan allegations against him serious. But nan tribunal said that prosecutors improperly provided nan expansive assemblage pinch a meaning of grooming without master testimony, and faulted them for withholding from nan expansive assemblage inconsistent statements made by 1 of his accusers.

Chasing Horse's ineligible issues person been unfolding astatine nan aforesaid clip lawmakers and prosecutors astir nan U.S. are funneling much resources into cases involving Native women, including quality trafficking and murders.