St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry has filed a civil lawsuit against Mayor Kaohly Her and the City of Saint Paul, alleging sexual harassment, unwanted physical contact and retaliation following his decision to report the mayor’s conduct.
The 73-page complaint was filed Wednesday, September 23, 2026, in Ramsey County District Court. It contains allegations involving sexual comments, altered photographs of police personnel, interactions at the police department gym, alleged unwanted touching during a budget meeting and what Henry describes as retaliatory conduct after he complained.
The allegations have not been proven in court.
The lawsuit comes less than one week after Saint Paul released a summary of an outside investigation that found Her had engaged in “offensive and inappropriate behavior” involving city employees but did not substantiate allegations that she committed sexual harassment or retaliation. The complete investigative report has not been publicly released.
Lawsuit Filed Against Mayor and City
Henry’s lawsuit names both Her and the City of Saint Paul as defendants.
According to local reporting on the complaint, Henry asserts six claims involving state law, including alleged violations of Minnesota’s Government Data Practices Act, Whistleblower Act and Human Rights Act. The complaint also brings an aiding-and-abetting claim and a common-law battery claim against Her individually.
Henry is seeking a jury trial and damages he says resulted from the alleged conduct, including lost wages and benefits, emotional distress, humiliation and damage to his reputation. The lawsuit also challenges the city’s handling and disclosure of its investigative report.
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Alleged Comments at Police Ceremony
One incident described in the lawsuit allegedly occurred during a police ceremony on February 19, 2026.
According to the complaint, Her made a remark concerning Deputy Chief Tim Flynn and asked, “Why is Tim’s bigger?” Henry alleges that Her made an accompanying facial expression that caused him to interpret the remark as a sexual innuendo referring to penis size.
Henry reportedly asked what she meant, and Her indicated that she was referring to an item associated with the officers’ uniforms.
During the same event, according to the lawsuit, Her asked what an “MFF” ribbon worn by Henry stood for. After Henry explained that the abbreviation meant Mobile Field Force, Her allegedly responded that she thought it said “MILF” and suggested she might qualify for one.
Henry alleges that he responded “no” and walked away.
These statements are allegations contained in Henry’s civil complaint and have not been established as fact by a court.
Allegations Involving Police Department Gym
The lawsuit also describes Her’s use of the St. Paul Police Department gym.
Henry alleges that beginning in late 2025, Her frequently appeared at the gym during periods when she knew Henry and other officers would be exercising.
According to the complaint and previous reporting about the investigation, Her allegedly referred to officers as “beefy” and made loud grunting or moaning sounds while exercising that some police personnel described as sexual or “orgasmic.”
The city’s outside investigation examined allegations involving Her’s workplace interactions. Its publicly released summary concluded that some of her behavior was offensive and inappropriate but did not substantiate sexual harassment.
Altered Photographs of Police Personnel
Henry’s lawsuit also describes several photographs that Her allegedly altered.
According to the complaint, Her placed Henry’s face and the faces of other police personnel onto other bodies, including images depicting bodybuilders wearing compression clothing and members of a musical group.
One altered photograph involving Henry and other officers was allegedly printed, placed inside a gold-colored frame and left in Henry’s office. The lawsuit also alleges that Her modified or attempted to modify photographs displayed within police facilities.
Henry alleges that he did not find the images humorous and that some officers and their family members considered them inappropriate.
The lawsuit characterizes the images as sexualizing members of police leadership. That description represents Henry’s allegation and legal position; the claim has not been adjudicated.
Alleged Unwanted Touching During Budget Meeting
One of the lawsuit’s more serious allegations concerns a March 18, 2026, police department budget meeting.
Henry alleges that Her moved into a seat directly next to him and twice placed her hand on his upper thigh underneath the conference table without his consent.
According to the complaint, Henry alleges that during the second instance, Her’s hand was positioned farther up his leg.
The lawsuit identifies Assistant Chief Paul Ford as having witnessed the alleged contact.
The complaint includes a common-law battery claim against Her related to alleged physical contact.
Her has not been found liable for battery or sexual harassment.
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Mayor Allegedly Appeared at Chief’s Off-Duty Golf Outing
The complaint also details an encounter at a golf simulator in Woodbury on February 6.
Henry alleges that he was using vacation time and was at the facility with another member of the police department when Her unexpectedly arrived.
According to the lawsuit, Her said she had to come because the officers would not invite her. Henry alleges that neither he nor the other officer had told Her where they were going and that he questioned how she learned of the outing.
She reportedly remained there for approximately 20 minutes before leaving.
The lawsuit presents the incident as part of a broader pattern in which Henry alleges Her attempted to establish a closer personal relationship with him.
Allegations About Personal Relationship and Workplace Boundaries
Henry’s complaint alleges that Her repeatedly discussed the nature of their relationship and, on one occasion, asked whether he wanted to be “friends, colleagues, or neither.”
Henry alleges that Her discussed difficulties in her marriage and told him that they needed a close relationship for their working relationship to succeed.
According to the lawsuit, Henry believed some of Her statements carried professional implications because, as mayor, she held authority over his position.
The complaint says Henry eventually became concerned enough about his interactions with Her that he attempted to avoid being alone with her and sought to have other people present during meetings.
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Earlier Text Message Complaint
The dispute first became public during an investigation into text messages allegedly sent by Her to city personnel.
One message previously reported by multiple outlets referenced an informal police-department hot dog gathering and included the phrase “Happy Weiner Wednesday.”
The accompanying altered internet meme included a caption referring to receiving a “good weinering.” Reporting indicated that the face of a police officer associated with the mayor’s security detail had allegedly been placed onto the image.
Henry’s attorney, Chris Madel, cited the messages in correspondence with city officials while asserting that the conduct went beyond an isolated incident.
Her previously described the messages as attempts at humor that did not meet the standard she expected of herself and said she would cooperate with the investigation.
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Henry Alleges Retaliation After Complaint
Henry’s lawsuit alleges that Her and members of her administration retaliated against him after he formally reported his concerns.
The complaint alleges that retaliation included interference with police department matters, exclusion from personnel decisions, public criticism surrounding his complaint and compensation decisions involving command personnel.
Henry alleges other members of the command staff received raises while he did not.
The lawsuit characterizes the alleged conduct as an effort to discredit Henry and penalize him professionally.
Those allegations are disputed and remain unresolved in court.
Independent Investigation Reached Different Conclusion
The civil lawsuit follows an outside investigation commissioned by the city.
Saint Paul’s Human Resources Department released a two-page summary of the investigation on September 18.
According to that summary, investigators concluded that Her had engaged in “offensive and inappropriate behavior” involving city employees but did not substantiate claims that she had sexually harassed or retaliated against city employees.
Her acknowledged after the findings were released that she had become too informal in some workplace communications and had crossed boundaries inconsistent with city workplace expectations. She also apologized for discomfort her conduct may have caused.
The complete investigative report has not been publicly released.
Henry’s lawsuit challenges aspects of how the investigation was handled and alleges that the city has improperly withheld the full report from him.
It is important to distinguish the two proceedings: the city investigation made administrative findings based on its investigative process, while Henry’s civil lawsuit presents legal claims that will be subject to court procedures, evidence and potential defenses.
Attorney Says Evidence Should Be Heard in Court
Henry’s attorney, Chris Madel, has publicly defended the chief’s decision to report the alleged conduct.
Madel told the Minnesota Star Tribune that Henry came forward because he believed the conduct needed to be reported and said his legal team intends to present its evidence through the judicial process.
The lawsuit requests a jury trial.
Mayor’s Office Responds
A spokesperson for Her has emphasized the findings of the independent investigation.
The mayor’s office said the investigation did not substantiate allegations of sexual harassment or retaliation involving any city employee and that Her would continue performing her duties while following the recommendations resulting from the investigation.
The city has declined additional substantive comment because the lawsuit is pending.
Her Became St. Paul’s First Woman Mayor in 2026
Her was elected in 2025 and took office January 2, 2026.
According to the City of Saint Paul, she became the city’s first woman and first Asian American mayor. Before becoming mayor, she served in the Minnesota House of Representatives.
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Current Status
As of September 24, 2026:
- Chief Axel Henry’s civil lawsuit against Mayor Kaohly Her and the City of Saint Paul is pending in Ramsey County District Court.
- The allegations contained in Henry’s lawsuit have not been proven in court.
- The city’s outside investigation found that Her engaged in offensive and inappropriate workplace behavior but did not substantiate allegations of sexual harassment or retaliation.
- The complete investigative report has not been publicly released.
- Henry is seeking a jury trial and damages and is also challenging the city’s refusal to provide him with the complete investigative report.
- The mayor’s office says Her will continue serving as mayor while complying with recommendations arising from the investigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has Mayor Kaohly Her been found guilty of sexual harassment?
No. Henry’s allegations are contained in a civil lawsuit and have not been adjudicated by a court.
Separately, an outside workplace investigation did not substantiate allegations of sexual harassment or retaliation, although its summary concluded that Her engaged in offensive and inappropriate behavior.
Is this a criminal case?
The lawsuit discussed here is a civil action filed by Police Chief Axel Henry against Her and the City of Saint Paul. Current reporting describes civil claims including sexual harassment under the Minnesota Human Rights Act, retaliation-related claims, alleged data-practices violations and common-law battery.
What does Henry allege happened during the budget meeting?
Henry alleges that Her twice placed her hand on his upper thigh underneath a conference-room table during a March 18 police budget meeting and that the contact was unwanted and nonconsensual. The allegation has not been proven in court.
What did the city investigation find?
The publicly released summary found that Her engaged in behavior characterized as offensive and inappropriate but said investigators could not substantiate allegations of sexual harassment or retaliation.
Has the complete investigative report been released?
No. As of September 24, the complete outside investigative report had not been publicly released. Henry’s lawsuit seeks access to that report and challenges the city’s handling of it.
What happens next?
The lawsuit will proceed through the civil court process unless it is dismissed, resolved or settled before trial. Henry has requested a jury trial. The defendants will have an opportunity to formally respond to the allegations through the court process.
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