Jimmy Dillard is a young boy who says that his teacher, Leonard Grissom, had molested him several times at the school. When Chief Gillespie and Detective Tibbs investigate the case, they come upon many inconsistencies with Jimmy's story. Jeff Dillard, who is Jimmy's father, grows frustrated with the progress of the police investigation into his boy's claims of molestation and also the new editor of the Sparta Herald is attacking the Sparta P.D. in the newspaper for its lack of movement against the teacher. Many in the town are outraged that the teacher is just on suspension and one night Grissom's house is shot at while he sleeps. Chief Gillespie eventually gets the actual story from Jimmy on whether his accusations are true or not, but nonetheless the outcome for Leonard Grissom is unfortunate.
—mts77