A woman has filed a civil lawsuit alleging that rapper Declyn Lauper, known professionally as Dex and the son of renowned singer Cyndi Lauper, sexually assaulted her in a New York City apartment in November 2020. The lawsuit, however, does not name Declyn Lauper as a defendant, but rather targets his father, David Thornton, who is married to Cyndi Lauper.
According to the legal filing, the woman alleges that Declyn Lauper invited her to a penthouse apartment in November 2020 and provided money for private car transportation. Upon arrival, she claims he appeared agitated, and a disagreement ensued regarding sexual acts.
The lawsuit details that when the woman attempted to leave the premises, Declyn Lauper allegedly confiscated her mobile phone and threatened to destroy the device unless she complied with his demands. She claims he physically forced her onto a bed, restrained her arms, and committed sexual assault. The complaint further alleges that he used racial and derogatory language toward her and stated that no one would believe her account of the incident.
The legal strategy of the lawsuit centers on premises liability rather than direct action against the alleged assailant. The plaintiff is pursuing damages from David Thornton on the grounds that he leased the penthouse apartment and allegedly knew of his son's history of violent and sexually abusive behavior toward women, including prior settlements of similar claims.
The complaint references public allegations made in 2018 by Brittney Taylor, a cast member of the reality television program Love & Hip Hop: New York and a former romantic partner of Declyn Lauper. Taylor publicly accused him of physical and verbal abuse during their relationship. The lawsuit asserts that David Thornton was aware of these allegations but failed to take measures to supervise his son or prevent him from using the property to perpetrate acts of sexual violence.
The plaintiff claims she sustained physical injuries and has experienced ongoing psychological harm, including emotional distress, humiliation, embarrassment, anxiety, and diminished self-esteem as a result of the alleged assault. She is seeking financial damages from David Thornton for these injuries.
Representatives for Cyndi Lauper have not responded to requests for comment regarding the allegations. The lawsuit represents a serious legal matter that will proceed through the civil court system, where the plaintiff will bear the burden of proving her claims by a preponderance of the evidence.
