▁and ▁susp icion ▁between ▁South ▁and ▁North , ▁especially ▁given ▁the ▁significance ▁of ▁the ▁day ▁of ▁the ▁murder . ▁ ▁The ▁film ▁shows ▁the ▁immense ▁press ures ▁brought ▁to ▁bear ▁on ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁community ▁to ▁help ▁in ▁the ▁conv iction   – ▁the ▁black ▁jan itor ▁who ▁is ▁induced ▁to ▁lie ▁on ▁the ▁stand ▁for ▁fear ▁he ▁himself ▁will ▁be ▁conv icted ▁if ▁H ale ▁is ▁found ▁innoc ent ; ▁the ▁jur or ▁who ▁is ▁the ▁sole ▁hold out ▁to ▁a ▁guilty ▁ver dict ; ▁and ▁the ▁bar ber ▁who ▁is ▁afraid ▁to ▁test ify ▁to ▁something ▁he ▁knows ▁because ▁it ▁could ▁ex on er ate ▁H ale . ▁Michael ▁G le ason , ▁H ale ' s ▁lawyer , ▁does ▁his ▁best , ▁but ▁H ale ▁is ▁conv icted ▁and ▁sent enced ▁to ▁death . ▁ ▁The ▁governor ▁of ▁the ▁state , ▁with ▁the ▁support ▁of ▁his ▁wife , ▁dec ides ▁to ▁commit ▁political ▁suic ide ▁by ▁comm uting ▁H ale ' s ▁death ▁sentence ▁to ▁life ▁imprison ment ▁because ▁the ▁evidence ▁is ▁simply ▁ins u fficient ▁to ▁send ▁a ▁man ▁to ▁his ▁death . ▁The ▁towns folk ▁are ▁en rag ed , ▁and ▁the ▁murder ed ▁girl ' s ▁brothers , ▁who ▁have ▁been ▁threaten ing ▁all ▁along ▁to ▁take ▁matters ▁into ▁their ▁own ▁hands ▁if ▁H ale ▁is ▁not ▁executed , ▁plot ▁and ▁carry ▁out ▁H ale ' s ▁ab du ction ▁and ▁l yn ch ing ▁with ▁the ▁help ▁of ▁a ▁ven ge ful ▁mob . ▁ ▁After