High school senior Torrey Grimes has it all -- All-State athletic honors, early decision college acceptance at the University of Pennsylvania, National Honor Society, and potentially the valedictorian of his class. That is, he had it all until he begins dating the captain of the cheerleading squad. Herb Charbonneau, the girl's father and a fan of Torrey's athletic abilities, takes extreme exception to this since Torrey happens to be Black and comes from an all-Black community several miles away. His arrangement for Torrey to be "taught a lesson" leads to a confrontation which results in Torrey being sent to prison for almost ten years.
After his release, an angry and bitter Grimes becomes obsessed with his exoneration for a crime he swears he did not commit. His search for an outlet for his "true story" lands squarely on reporter Josh Solomon. Torrey Grimes claims he wants no vengeance, no retribution, and no reparations, but what is his true motivation? It is Josh Solomon and his sidekick, the redoubtable Annie Porter, who must decide if justice was indeed denied in Torrey's case, but powerful, even dangerous, obstacles threaten to block their efforts.