THE CONDEMNED MEN, THEIR RELATIVES, AND THE RELATIVES OF THEIR VICTIMS DISCUSS THE COLD-BLOODED MURDERS FOR WHICH THE MEN WERE CONDEMNED, SPECULATE ON THE DETERRENT EFFECT OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT, AND VARIOUSLY DERIDE OR SUPPORT THE UNDERLYING CONCEPT OF JUST PUNISHMENT. THE ELEMENTS OF THE MURDERERS' EARLY CHILDHOODS ARE EXAMINED, ALONG WITH THE DETAILS OF THE 13 MURDERS COMMITTED INDEPENDENTLY BY THE 6 OFFENDERS--4 WHITE AND 2 BLACK MALES. TWO WERE CONVICTED FOR BRUTALLY MURDERING THEIR WIVES, ONE FOR ROBBING AND MURDERING TWO VACATIONERS, ONE FOR STABBING TO DEATH AN EX-LOVER AND HER NEW BOYFRIEND, ANOTHER FOR SHOOTING TO DEATH A PLANT MANAGER IN FRONT OF HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN, AND THE LAST FOR MURDERING SIX MEMBERS OF A RURAL FAMILY EXECUTION-STYLE. DESPITE UNIMPEACHABLE EYEWITNESS TESTIMONY, TWO OF THE MURDERERS STILL DENY THEIR GUILT. ANOTHER (A TWO-TIME MURDERER WHO WAS 'REHABILITATED' BUT WENT ON TO MURDER A THIRD TIME) CLAIMS TO BE REHABILITATED, AND TWO FEEL FEEL THAT SOCIETY WILL NOT BENEFIT BY THEIR EXECUTION. THE MURDERER OF THE PLANT MANAGER ACKNOWLEDGES THE NEED FOR SOME FORM OF INCAPACITATION AND ADMITS THAT IF HE IS EVER RELEASED, HE WOULD PROBABLY MURDER AGAIN. THE RELATIVES OF ALL THE CONDEMNED MEN--EXCLUDING THE SURVIVING CHILDREN OF ONE OF THE WIFE MURDERERS--THINK THE MEN SHOULD BE SPARED. ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF THE VICTIMS' FAMILIES WHO WERE INTERVIEWED BELIEVE THE MEN SHOULD BE EXECUTED. A SURVIVING RELATIVE OF THE SIX MURDERED GEORGIANS THOUGHT THE ESCAPED MARYLAND PRISONER WHO EXECUTED AND ROBBED THE FIVE MEN, AND RAPED AND MURDERED ONE OF THE MEN'S WIFE SHOULD HAVE BEEN RETURNED TO THE SITE OF THE CRIME AND SUMMARILY HUNG WITHOUT TRIAL. (KBL)