Klauder v. Philadelphia Newspapers, Inc.

McDEVITT, J.,

This is an action of libel based on a series of articles in the Philadelphia Inquirer between November 16 and December 5, 1971, charging pervasive and systematic corruption in the Philadelphia Police Department. The accounts were heralded by such headlines as the following: “A Three *272Month Inquirer Investigation Has Produced Evidence of Widespread Police Corruption,” “Gotta Pay Everybody, West Philadelphia Bookie Says,” “The Police Payoff System: Here’s Who Gets Paid On Certain Dates According to X-Policemen,” “Evidence Of Police Corruption Calls For Independent Inquiry,”…