'Dread Head Cowboy' Plans To Call Lightfoot As Character Witness

CHICAGO — Adam Hollingsworth, the horseback-riding “Dread Head Cowboy” who made his way along the Dan Ryan Expressway last year, has plans to call Mayor Lori Lightfoot as a character witness when his trial on an felony animal cruelty charge begins next month, according to a published report.

Hollingsworth is representing himself in the case, which is scheduled to be heard at the of November. Hollingsworth, 34, has been chastised by the court for not filing motions correctly the Chicago Sun-Times reported. In a hearing Wednesday, a Cook County judge warned the defendant that would be forced to move ahead with the trial regardless of if was ready.

Hollingsworth claims he made the ride along the Dan Ryan to raise awareness of violence against children in Chicago. However, the Sun-Times reported that he has not yet presented subpoenas to witnesses he plans to call, including to the Mayor.

“I would like to subpoena Lori Lightfoot as a character witness. Lori is someone that I worked for with my horse as a Census Chicago Cowboy prior to this case,” Hollingsworth wrote in the filing, according to the Sun-Times.

A Lightfoot spokesman wrote in an email to Patch Thursday that Lightfoot would be available for questions at a Thursday news conference. In a follow-up email, the spokesman said the Mayor had no comment on the possibility of being called at Hollingsworth's trial "for now."

Because he is representing himself, Hollingsworth would need to serve the Mayor the subpoena himself. He told the Sun-Times he would either serve the paperwork to Lightfoot at her home or City Hall.

Judge Michael McHale said he would not give Hollingsworth a continuance if he was not ready when jury selection begins Nov. 29, the report said.

Last year, Lightfoot called the one-hour ride on the Dan Ryan a publicity stunt. The Illinois State Police stopped Hollingsworth at 95th Street and officials feared the horse, named NuNu, would have to be euthanized after the 7.5-mile highway ride, which police said caused injuries including a bleeding left foot, an injured right foot and sores on the right side of its body from the saddle.

Hollingsworth was later ordered not to have contact with the horses he owns. Hollingsworth is charged with aggravated cruelty to an animal, reckless conduct, trespassing and other traffic offenses. A second man, Darron Luster, 55, of Chicago, was also arrested the day of the Dan Ryan ride on charges of obstruction and resisting arrested after police say he tried to "forcefully gain control of the horse" and ignored several orders to release NuNu.

Before his arrest, various social media accounts identified Hollingsworth as the "Dreadhead Cowboy", who went live on Facebook to document the ride. In the video, he promoted his KidsLivesMatter movement and said that he was "fixin' to shut down the Dan Ryan."

"Until we understand kids' lives matter, nothing else matters," Hollingsworth said during the video.