The husband of a Lexington woman who died last year at Fillies Gentleman’s Club has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the club, its owners and the man accused of sexually assaulting her before her death.

The lawsuit, filed earlier this month by Joseph Ollie Smiley, widower of Melissa Kline-Smiley, says the gentleman’s club owners — Manfred Jaschkowitz, Larry Windle Oliver and Kimberly Pulliam — allowed Kline-Smiley to be assaulted and they failed to stop the incident from happening.

Club owners did not respond to calls for comment. According to signs at Fillies, located on 987 Winchester Road, the gentleman’s club is under new management and its name has been changed to Diamonds.

Kline-Smiley, 37, and Clyde Wesley Sexton, 71, were painting on July 25, 2013 at Fillies Gentleman’s Club on Winchester Road when Kline-Smiley passed out. Police have said Sexton performed sexual acts on her rather than calling for help. The lawsuit says Sexton’s “wrongful” and “unlawful outrageous conduct lasted until he was sexually gratified.”

It took 20 to 30 minutes for Kline-Smiley, who was still unconscious, to receive assistance. She was placed on life support at University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital and died July 29.

The lawsuit says the owners “were aware of the deceased’s condition that resulted in her passing out at certain times and required immediate medical attention to save her life.” The lawsuit continues that the owners “knew or…