A black major and his men are on the run from a rigged court-martial and hide out in a small Georgia town where a cruel white sheriff is terrorising the black population. Together with one strong-willed woman, they formulate a bold plan to fight for freedom and human rights.

The gory ax-murder of one suburban Texas housewife by another is nearly as shocking as the excuse offered by the bespectacled defendant's attorney: self-defense.