A New York state appeals court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a man whose wife died during a Britney Spears hoax orchestrated by a radio station.

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Paul Santodonato filed the fraud and negligence suit in 2002 against Clear Channel Broadcasting, owner of WMRV-FM, Binghamton, N.Y., the New York Post reported.

The suit said Susan Santodonato, 37, died in June 2000 after she fell and hit her head outside the WMRV-FM studio while waiting with her 10-year-old daughter to catch a glimpse of Spears, who was announced to be doing an in-studio interview.

The interviewee turned out to be a Spears impersonator.

The appeals court said Santodonato failed to prove the station was at fault for his wife's fall and failed to prove she sought a safe place to stand away from the crush of the crowd.