HELENA — The estate of Paul Rolfes, a man who stabbed a Helena police officer in November 2024, who was then shot and killed by HPD at Jesters Bar, is suing the City of Helena and five officers.
The lawsuit names the city and officers involved as defendants, alleging that the city and officers violated Rolfes' constitutional rights by failing to seek help for him from mental health professionals before firing their weapons and ultimately killing him.
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The lawsuit also notes that Rolfes had been taken into custody before due to mental health issues like schizophrenia and hallucinations.
Police were called to Jester's Bar in downtown Helena on November 2nd, 2024, to remove 40-year-old Paul Rolfes.
Rolfes had previously been trespassed from the bar but returned and barricaded himself in the bathroom.
The police attempted to subdue Rolfes using a taser but were unsuccessful.
Rolfes stabbed one officer as they tried to restrain him, leading to the three officers firing their service weapons, killing Rolfes.
In May, a nine-person coroner's inquest jury found that three Helena police officers were justified in using deadly force when they shot Rolfes.
MTN reached out to the city, and they said they do not provide comment on pending litigation. In this case, the city has not yet been served.
The estate is seeking a jury trial in the case and an award of compensatory damages, as well as punitive damages against the officers and attorney fees.
