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A Nevada jury on Friday convicted Dances With Wolves actor Nathan Chasing Horse of sexually assaulting Indigenous women and girls in a case that sent shock waves through Indian Country.
The jurors in Las Vegas found Chasing Horse guilty of 13 of the 21 charges he faced.
Most of the guilty verdicts centred on Chasing Horse’s conduct with a victim who was 14 when he began assaulting her.
He was acquitted of some sexual assault charges when the main victim was older and lived with him and his other companions.
Chasing Horse, 49, faces a minimum of 25 years in prison.
His sentencing is scheduled for March 11.
He has also been charged with sex crimes in other states as well as Canada.
British Columbia prosecutors said Friday once Chasing Horse has been sentenced and any appeals are finished in the U.S., they will assess next steps in their prosecution.
Friday’s verdict marked the climax of a yearslong effort to prosecute Chasing Horse after he was first arrested and indicted in 2023.
Prosecutors said Chasing Horse used his reputation as a Lakota medicine man to prey on Indigenous women and girls.
As the verdict was read, Chasing Horse stood quietly.
Victims and their supporters cried and hugged in the hallway while wearing yellow ribbons.
The main victim declined to comment.
William Rowles, the Clark County chief deputy district attorney, thanked the women who had accused Chasing Horse of assault for testifying.
“I just hope that the people who came forward over the years and made complaints against Nathan Chasing Horse can find some peace in this,” he said.
Defence attorney Craig Mueller said he will file a motion for a new trial and told The Associated Press he was confused and disappointed in the jury’s verdict.
He said he had some “meaningful doubts about the sincerity of the accusations.”
Chasing Horse was born on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, home to the Sicangu Sioux, one of the seven tribes of the Lakota nation.
He is widely known for his portrayal of Smiles a Lot in Kevin Costner’s Oscar-winning film.
Dances With Wolves was one of the most prominent films featuring Native American actors when it premiered in 1990.
His trial came as authorities have responded more in recent years to an epidemic of violence against Native women.
During the 11-day trial, jurors heard from three women who said Chasing Horse sexually assaulted them, some of whom were underage at the time.
The jury returned guilty verdicts on some charges related to all three.
Deputy District Attorney Bianca Pucci said in her closing argument Wednesday that for almost 20 years, Chasing Horse “spun a web of abuse” that caught many women.
Mueller said in his closing argument that there was no evidence, including from eyewitnesses.
He questioned the main accuser’s credibility, calling her a “scorned woman.”
Prosecutors said sexual assault cases rarely have eyewitnesses and often happen behind closed doors.
The main accuser was 14 in 2012 when Chasing Horse allegedly told her the spirits wanted her to give up her virginity to save her mother, who was diagnosed with cancer.
He then sexually assaulted her and told her that if she told anyone, her mother would die, Pucci said.
The sexual assaults continued for years, Pucci said.
“Today’s verdict sends a clear message that exploitation and abuse will not be tolerated, regardless of the defendant’s public persona or claims of spiritual authority,” said Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson, who came in to the Las Vegas courtroom to hear the verdict, in a statement.
If you or someone you know is struggling with sexual assault or trauma, the following resources are available to support people in crisis:
- Call 911 if you are in immediate danger or fear for your safety.
- The Canadian Association of Sexual Assault Centres' website has a comprehensive list of sexual assault centres in Canada that offer information, advocacy and counselling.
- The Ending Violence Association of Canada‘s website has links to helplines, support services and locations across Canada that offer sexual assault kits.
- Indian Residential School Survivors Society crisis lines: +1 866 925 4419 or +1 800 721 0066 (24/7)
- Toronto Rape Crisis Centre crisis line: +1 416 597 8808 (24/7)
- Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline: +1 833 900 1010 (24/7)
- Trans Lifeline: +1 877 330 6366
- Suicide Crisis Helpline: call or text 988 (24/7)
- Sexual Misconduct Support and Resource Centre for current and former Canadian Armed Forces members: +1 844 750 1648
- Read about your rights as a victim on the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime website.
Jessica Hill, The Associated Press
