SHANGHAI, Aug. 20 -- A COURT in central China's Hubei Province has rejected a lawsuit filed by the relatives of a man who jumped to his death from a fifth-floor window after his lover's husband caught the couple in bed together.

A court in Jingmen City rejected a lawsuit filed against the couple by the dead man's wife and parents. They were seeking 260,000 yuan (US$34,230) in compensation, a news portal based in Jingmen reported today.

The dead man, a 36-year-old surnamed Zheng, was involved in a secret relationship with the 32-year-old wife surnamed Zhang for years, according to the report.

Zhang invited Zheng to her apartment early on the morning of July 28, 2006, as Zhang's husband was out for drinking and was not expected to return home for several hours.

The husband returned home early, however, and caught the lovers in bed together.

The husband was angry and offered Zheng two alternative – he would call his wife, or call his employer and the police, the report said.

Zheng got flustered and jumped out of the bedroom's window. The man was pronounced dead after being rushed to a nearby hospital.

Zheng's wife and parents were shocked by his sudden death and wanted to negotiate compensation with Zhang's family, but they refused. So they sued Zhang and her husband.

The court turned down the Zheng's request as it said Zheng was a person of full capacity and he should be responsible for his behavior.