An Arab terrorist is smuggled out of West Beirut by American secret forces under the charge of conspiracy to commit murder and killing five innocent people including a five-year-old child. An unprecedented trail commences as he is charged under a new Federal stature declaring murder of American civilians overseas a felony. Resnick (Ron Leibman) is one of the all time best defence lawyers in the country but hasn't fought a case in years. He hesitantly takes the case and finds himself up against Jim Delmore (Sam Waterston) as two of the most brilliant legal minds in the country gets underway in a trial intended as a showcase for American justice.