In the Florida Everglades Bobby Earl (Underwood) is facing the electric chair for the rape and murder of a young girl. In desperation he contacts a retired professor of law, and one of the foremost advocates against the death penalty, Paul Armstrong (Connery) to plead his case. Earl tells Armstrong that he was forced to confess to the crime under extreme duress by the bullying Sheriff Tanny Brown (Fishburne). He professes his innocence and says that he will soon die if Armstrong doesn't help save him. Armstrong agrees to take on his case and begins his own form of investigation.
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He soon uncovers evidence that was overlooked when Earl was first charged but the local police are not interested in talking with him. The truth is that Earl really is the killer and he makes a deal with another prisoner in order to be freed. The deal is that if the other prisoner admits to the killing of the little girl, when Earl is released he will kill the other man's parents. The plan works brilliantly. Armstrong gets Earl off but instead of going after the other man's parents, he turns his vengeance on Armstrong's wife Laurie (Capshaw), a former parole officer who he has always had it in for. By the time Armstrong finds out the shocking truth, the deranged Bobby Earl has kidnapped his wife and daughter and is holding them hostage in a deserted cabin with alligators in the water just inches from the cabin. Armstrong must defend himself and his family from the crazed killer he helped get released from prison.
(This movie is based on the novel by John Katzenbach)
The review of this Movie prepared by Patti Illsley
