The Nevada Supreme Court has agreed to hear another appeal from the notorious Nathan Chasing Horse and his relentless legal team seeking to dismiss an increasing number of sexual assault charges leveled against their client. The decision to green-light the appeal was sanctioned on March 22 by the majority of the state’s top legal minds, cementing another courtroom confrontation in an already convoluted legal saga.
The Supreme Court justices giving the nod to the appeal include Elissa Cadish, Lidia Stiglich, Douglas Herndon, and Linda Bell, while their peers Kristina Pickering, Patricia Lee, and Ron Parraguirre opted to reject the petition. It is worthy of note that this is already the third petition to cross the desk of these esteemed legal figures from the dedicated defense team of Chasing Horse.
Previously, an attempted appeal was thwarted when Supreme Court Justices Patricia Lee and Ron D. Parraguirre voted in opposition. Their colleague, Justice Douglas Herndon, issued a dissenting voice in the matter, signifying a fracture in the court’s consensus. This was not the first appeal to be dismissed, indicating a recurring cycle of denial and retry.
Representing the defendant is Clark County public defender Kristy Holston, who has taken an unconventional approach in her defense. Holston contends that the women who have accused her client of sexual misconduct did so consensually, an argument that is often fraught with controversy. She’s further criticized prosecutors for introducing the concept of “grooming” to the grand jury, and allegedly providing improper information, according to reports from Las Vegas television station KLAS.
Chasing Horse, currently locked within the confines of a jail cell, faces a staggering 18 charges in Clark County. The grave offenses include six counts of sexual assault, ten counts related to sexual assault against a minor, coupled with charges of kidnapping a minor, and lewdness. An earlier drug-related count has since been discarded.
The severity of these charges stems from a series of horrifying incidents that spanned six years between 2014 to 2020. The victims comprise both Native American teenagers and women. Among the victims is Ren Leone, formerly Corena Chasing Horse, who alleges that her abuser commenced his torment when she was only 14. Chasing Horse, as per victims’ testimonies, groomed them to become his future wives, and even seemingly manipulated their vulnerabilities, promising healing powers to the ailing mother of one victim.
Chasing Horse, prior to his arrest, reportedly led a questionable group known as “The Circle,” under the persona of a “medicine man”. He was apprehended in January 2023 at his North Las Vegas residence, a shared home with his multiple wives. He has remained in custody at the Clark County Detention Center since his arrest.
His legal predicament further took a hit with a bail set at a hefty $300,000. Chasing Horse, however, has maintained his innocence, pleading not guilty to all charges laid before the Clark County court. However, his legal turmoil extends beyond Clark County – a slew of similar offences awaits him in both Nevada federal court and jurisdictions as far flung as Montana and Canada.
The enigmatic figure gained renown with his role in the 1990 Kevin Costner film, “Dances With Wolves”, where he portrayed a character named Smiles a Lot. This folly, however, paints a stark contrast to his real-life persona entangled in a morass of grave charges and court battles.
