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Deaf Moviegoers Sue Cinemark Theater Chain

BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) -- Deaf moviegoers have filed suit against Cinemark, claiming the movie chain is denying them access to films by refusing to install closed captioning devices.

The suit was filed Tuesday in Alameda County Superior Court by Berkeley-based Disability Rights Advocates on behalf of two plaintiffs and the Association of Late-Deafened Adults. It seeks class-action status.

Kevin Knestrick, an attorney for the plaintiffs, says Cinemark is the only one of the nation's three largest movie chains not to offer closed-captioning equipment. Regal and AMC provide captioning, though not at all hours and in all theaters.

The lawsuit asks for unspecified damages and an order requiring the Plano, Texas-based company to install the captioning devices.

A call to Cinemark was not immediately returned.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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