The film tells the story of the execution of Odell Barnes, born in Wichita Falls and executed in Huntsville, Texas, on March 1, 2000, at age 31. He was sentenced to death for the murder of Helen Bass, a friend of his mother’s. The investigation which led to his arrest, trial and sentencing was botched up. For nine years, Odell Barnes fought from his cell to have his case re-openend.

The investigation was led by individuals who sought a conviction and an execution at all costs, the counter-inquiry by militant abolitionists. Innocent or guilty, Odell Barnes did not receive a fair trial and he was executed. His story is common in a prosperous America which has difficulty in questioning its way of functioning.