a young and seemingly promising college graduate ( play by blair underwood ) be send to jail for the murder of an innocent young girl and be put on death row . sean connery play the happy go lucky attorney whom the young man grandmother track down out of retirement and pleads with to take on the case in the hope of free her grandson . laurence fishburne play a police officer who be well involve in the case and be hell bent on debunk an theory that connery might dig up to try and free the boy whom he and the entire police department swear be guilty of the crime . ed harris and kate capshaw and ruby dee and and the late lynne thigpen co star in this very intense dramatic thriller .