Actor Nathan Chasing Horse from ‘Dances with Wolves’ Causes Disturbance Before Sex Abuse Trial

Chasing Horse Removed from Court Amid Trial Preparations

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Nathan Chasing Horse, the actor from “Dances with Wolves,” faced a temporary removal from court on Monday due to his disruptions, specifically his demands to replace his defense attorney just a week before his trial.

Judge Jessica Peterson has confirmed that the jury trial will continue as planned in the coming week.

Chasing Horse has pleaded not guilty to 21 charges, which include sexual assault against women and girls, as well as filming sexual abuse of minors under the age of 14. Prosecutors assert that he exploited his status as a spiritual leader over the past 20 years to take advantage of Native American women and girls.

During the hearing, Chasing Horse was removed after he attempted to make remarks directed at the judge. He claimed his attorney, Craig Mueller, failed to appear and wasn’t filing documents on time. He even requested that a previous public defender represent him instead.

Mueller, who is a private attorney, indicated that Chasing Horse was prepared for trial and mentioned that one of the investigators had been in contact with him. He did not provide additional comments to The Associated Press.

Chasing Horse, recognized for his role as Smiles-A-Lot in the iconic film from 1990, hails from the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, which is home to the Sicangu Sioux tribe, one of the seven Lakota tribes.

Prosecutors argue that following his role in the Oscar-winning movie, Chasing Horse labeled himself a Lakota shaman and traveled across North America performing healing rituals. Reports indicate that when he was arrested in 2023, he was living in North Las Vegas with five wives.

This incident has garnered significant attention in India as well. A previous indictment was dismissed in 2024 when the Nevada Supreme Court determined that prosecutors misused the grand jury process by presenting the definition of grooming without expert testimony. However, the court did leave room for the charges to be refiled, which occurred later that year.

Allegations suggest that Chasing Horse led a group known as “The Circle,” with followers believing he had the ability to communicate with spirits. Many victims approached him in search of medical help, according to grand jury records.