Russell Gates (David Strahairn) is a Vietnam vet on death row for killing a policeman. His childhood sweetheart Pam O'Brien (Sissy Spacek) is stunned to learn this and does not believe he could commit such a crime. She writes to him much to the dismay of her husband Keith and becomes obsessed with the case exploring every avenue that may still be open to the doomed man. The trips to the prison take a toll on both her marriage and her family.