Trial Opens for 'Dances With Wolves' Actor Nathan Chasing Horse on Sexual‑Assault Charges
Opening statements began in the sexual‑assault trial of Dances With Wolves actor Nathan Chasing Horse, with prosecutors saying he used his reputation as a Lakota medicine man to groom and sexually assault Indigenous girls and women — including a woman who met him at age 6, became a "pipe girl," and was allegedly told at 14 that "the spirits" required her to give up her virginity to save her mother from cancer. Prosecutors detailed repeated assaults, tattoos of spiders purportedly used to silence the victim, and relocation to live with him and his multiple wives in North Las Vegas, while the defense says there will be no DNA or eyewitness evidence and has characterized the accuser as an "angry wife"; a 2023 indictment was thrown out in 2024 over improper grand‑jury instructions but the case was refiled.
📌 Key Facts
- The trial opened for actor Nathan Chasing Horse, and in opening statements prosecutors said he used his reputation as a Lakota medicine man to groom and sexually assault Indigenous girls and women, including a victim who met him at about age 6 and became a "pipe girl" in ceremonies.
- Prosecutors allege that when the victim was 14 Chasing Horse told her that "the spirits" required her to give up her virginity to save her mother from cancer and that he repeatedly assaulted her on road trips and in hotel rooms.
- Prosecutors say Chasing Horse had the girl tattoo spiders on her arms and hand to intimidate her into silence, and later brought the victim and her mother to live with him and his multiple wives in North Las Vegas, where the abuse allegedly continued.
- In its opening, the defense argued there will be no DNA or eyewitness evidence, likened the now-adult accuser to an "angry wife," and portrayed her allegations as false despite years of reportedly "happy" cohabitation.
- Background: an original 2023 indictment was dismissed in 2024 after the Nevada Supreme Court found prosecutors had improperly defined "grooming" for the grand jury without expert testimony; prosecutors refiled charges, leading to the current trial.
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- Details of opening statements: prosecutors describe how Chasing Horse allegedly used his role as a Lakota medicine man to groom and sexually assault Indigenous girls and women, including a victim who met him at age 6 and became a 'pipe girl' in ceremonies.
- Prosecutors allege that at age 14, the victim was told by Chasing Horse that 'the spirits' required her to give up her virginity to save her mother from cancer, and that he repeatedly assaulted her on road trips and in hotel rooms.
- The state outlined how Chasing Horse allegedly had the girl tattoo spiders on her arms and hand to remind her not to tell anyone, and later brought her and her mother to live with him and his multiple wives in North Las Vegas, where the abuse allegedly continued.
- The defense used its opening to argue there will be no DNA or eyewitness evidence, likened the now‑adult accuser to an 'angry wife,' and framed her allegations as false despite years of allegedly 'happy' cohabitation.
- The piece recaps that the original 2023 indictment was thrown out in 2024 after the Nevada Supreme Court found prosecutors had improperly defined 'grooming' for the grand jury without expert testimony, but left the door open for this refiled case.