The makers of hit film Borat have escaped a lawsuit filed by a man who appeared briefly in the comedy.

Jeffery Lemerond makes a cameo in a trailer and a short clip of Sacha Baron Cohen's hit film, Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.

The footage shows Lemerond running away from the comedian's fictional Kazakh television reporter on the streets of New York, "fleeing in apparent terror, screaming for Mr Cohen to 'go away,"' court documents said.

Lemerond claimed the filmmakers used his image unlawfully but a federal judge threw his case out of court saying the film fell under a broad exception to the claim because it was "newsworthy."

Loretta Preska said while the film appealed "to the most childish and vulgar in its viewers," it attempted "an ironic commentary of 'modern' American culture."

Lemerond's claim was one of several suits filed by people who complained they were duped into appearing in the spoof documentary.

Two residents of the southern Romanian village Glod that served as Borat's "hometown" in the film had filed a £15 million lawsuit, which was also dismissed.

Nicolae Todorache, a one-armed grandfather, and Spiridom Ciorebea claimed they were lied to about the nature of the filming and were portrayed as incestuous, criminal and ignorant.

Last year, an LA judge also threw out a claim by two college fraternity members shown in the film guzzling alcohol and making racist remarks.

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