Eddie is concerned about his mentor, a judge showing early signs of Alzheimer's disease, may jeopardize the life of his client when he is assigned his case.
Eddie is hired by a father to defend his son, a white rookie cop accused of shooting a black youth during a riot, meanwhile Roger is uncertain that he can fulfill a request from his own father (Robert King).
After Eddie negotiates a deal for his radical friends (Allen Garfield and Carrie Snodgress), who have been on the run for 20 years, to come out of hiding but the Government surprises them with a murder charge m.