Set in Ford County, Mississippi, A Time to Kill tells the emotional story of a young, idealistic lawyer who defends a black man, Carl Lee Hailey, for taking the law into his own hands following an unspeakable crime committed against his young daughter. The small town is thrown into upheaval as Jake finds himself arguing against the formidable district attorney, Rufus Buckley, and goes under attack from both sides of a racially divided city.