Eighteen year old Jeff Dicks goes for a ride with his new friend, Chief. While in the car, Chief begins talking about robbing an old man's store. Although Jeff believes that Chief's rambling is only aimless boasting, they drive by the store, Jeff stops the car and Chief goes in. Later, he comes running out and orders Jeff to drive away. In a daze, Jeff does what Chief tells him to do. That night, Jeff watches a TV newscast in horror as he learns that Chief has robbed and killed the storekeeper. Jeffrey Dicks, the son of an impoverished Tennessee mother, languishes on death row for a robbery he didn't commit and a murder he didn't even see. His mother, Shirley Dicks tells this tense, personal and highly moving story of the bloody crime and aftermath which changed and may end her son's life. Shirley was unable to afford a competent legal defense. At the trial, the family was shocked when vital evidence was never presented to the jury. Jeff, who has no history of volunteer or criminal behavior, was convicted of murder and sentenced to die in Tennessee's electric chair. Jeff's loved ones have never lost faith in his innocence, but they must share his daily burden of deadly uncertainty and experience the painful frustrations of their attempts to set him free. Shirley is fervently pursuing an appeal - but time is running out.