Rural Mississippi in the 1940s: Lucas Beauchamp, a local black man with a reputation of not kowtowing to whites, is found standing over the body of a dead white man, holding a pistol that has recently been fired. Quickly arrested for murder and jailed, Beauchamp insists he's innocent and asks the town's most prominent lawyer, Gavin Stevens, to defend him, but Stevens refuses. When a local boy whom Beauchamp has helped in the past and who believes him to be innocent hears talk of a mob taking Beauchamp out of jail and lynching him, he pleads with Stevens to defend Beauchamp at trial and prove his innocence.
as John Gavin Stevens
as Chick Mallison
as Lucas Beauchamp
as Nub Gowrie
as Miss Eunice Habersham
as Crawford Gowrie
as Sheriff Hampton
as Vinson Gowrie
as Aleck
as Mrs. Mallison
as Mr. Mallison
as Mr. Tubbs
as Minor Role (uncredited)
as Minor Role (uncredited)
as Child with Yo-Yo (uncredited)
as Minor Role (uncredited)
as Man in Crowd (uncredited)
as Customer (uncredited)
as Paralee (uncredited)
as Patron (uncredited)
as Customer (uncredited)
as Girl (uncredited)
as Crowd Member (voice) (uncredited)
as Attendant (uncredited)
as Crowd Member (voice) (uncredited)
as Minor Role (uncredited)
as Woman (uncredited)
as Patron (uncredited)
as Deputy (uncredited)
as Convict (uncredited)
as Minor Role (uncredited)
as Gowrie Twin (uncredited)
as Molly Beauchamp (uncredited)
as Crowd Member (voice) (uncredited)
as Convict (uncredited)
as Truck Driver (uncredited)
as Barber (uncredited)
as Crowd Member (uncredited)
as Fraser's Son (uncredited)
as Man in Crowd (uncredited)
as Man in Crowd (uncredited)
as Will Legate (uncredited)
as Mr. Lilley (uncredited)
as Minor Role (uncredited)
as Minor Role (uncredited)
as Man in Crowd (uncredited)
as Gowrie Twin (uncredited)
