Matthew McConaughey, a young, attractive and highly-skilled attorney is faced with the toughest case of his life, one that on many occassions may also threaten it. In the southern Mississippi town of Canton, the K.K.K. is active and the tension is high when the black majority is angered at the raping and slaying of a black man’s 10-year-old daughter. Against Jake’s advice, the distraught father takes revenge, gunning down the two criminals in the local courthouse. Racial hatred hightens with the suspense and conflict threatens to break out regardless of the verdict. Jake must decide, along with his new, eager assisstant whether he and his family can run the risk of defending the man.