St. Paul Police Chief expands lawsuit against Mayor Her

St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry has expanded his civil lawsuit against Mayor Kaohly Her, adding a seventh count alleging reprisal in violation of the Minnesota Human Rights Act. The amended filing includes claims that the mayor acted individually by making public statements questioning Henry’s integrity and excluding him from personnel decision-making.

The legal dispute follows an independent investigation into the mayor’s conduct. While investigators found that Mayor Her engaged in inappropriate workplace behavior, they did not substantiate the specific allegations of sexual harassment. Henry’s lawsuit, however, maintains allegations of sexual comments, unwanted touching, and the editing of photographs.

The amended complaint also addresses the city’s handling of the investigative report. Henry alleges that the city provided only a “heavily-redacted copy” of the findings after he requested the document. Additionally, the lawsuit disputes the mayor’s claims regarding disagreements over police operations and a contract with Axon, which Henry asserts was approved prior to her taking office.