THE SERIES IS BASED ON A 4-MONTH INVESTIGATION BY THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER IN WHICH A 'PATTERN OF BEATINGS, THREATS OF VIOLENCE, INTIMIDATION, COERCION AND KNOWING DISREGARD FOR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS IN THE INTERROGATION OF HOMICIDE SUSPECTS AND WITNESSES' WAS REVEALED. THE OPENING ARTICLE NOTES THAT, ALTHOUGH IN MOST PRETRIAL HEARINGS ON THE LEGALITY OF POLICE INVESTIGATIONS JUDGES HAVE RULED IN FAVOR OF THE PHILADELPHIA POLICE, IN 80 OF 433 SUCH CASES JUDGES HAVE FOUND THAT THE POLICE ACTED ILLEGALLY DURING HOMICIDE INTERROGATIONS. CASE STUDIES ON WHICH THE ALLEGATIONS OF ILLEGAL INTERROGATION ARE BASED INCLUDE SEVERAL ACCOUNTS OF VERBAL AND PHYSICAL ABUSE. INTERVIEWS WITH THREE HOMICIDE DETECTIVES INCLUDE REFERENCES TO COERCION AND BEATINGS DURING INTERROGATIONS. A DETAILED ACCOUNT IS PRESENTED OF ONE FAMILY'S EXPERIENCE WITH THE POLICE IN CONNECTION WITH MURDER CHARGES AGAINST A FAMILY MEMBER, WHO WAS LATER ACQUITTED. THE ACCOUNT INCLUDES REPORTS OF VERBAL AND PHYSICAL ABUSE AND OF RAID AND ARREST WITHOUT WARRANT. ANOTHER CASE ACCOUNT DESCRIBES HOW POLICE KEPT AN ATTORNEY FROM CONFERRING WITH A SUSPECT. THE SERIES CLOSES WITH A DISCUSSION OF WHY RELATIVELY FEW CASES OF POLICE ABUSE DURING INTERROGATION ARE PROSECUTED. THE PHILADELPHIA POLICE COMMISSIONER'S DENIAL OF THE ALLEGATIONS MADE IN THE SERIES IS NOTED, AS IS THE RESPONSE TO THE SERIES BY PRESIDENT OF THE PHILADELPHIA LODGE OF THE FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE. EDITORIALS FROM THE SAME NEWSPAPER DEALING WITH THE SUBJECT OF ILLEGAL INTERROGATION BY POLICE ARE ALSO REPRINTED.