The fanatically uncompromising Len Rowan and his family insult and terrorize the citizens of a small town for years. One day the comment of a saleswoman about Len's son not being able to pay his sweets triggers off his persecution complex. As revenge for the believed insult, the whole family starts stalking the shop owner and her husband... until this escalates and the old man gets badly injured. Len is arrested, but gets off, free on bail. His clever attorney delays the court session for more than a year - while Rowan keeps threatening the witnesses. But then, the people feel they've had enough of this and decide to take the law in their own hands...

Basato sugli eventi accaduti a Skidmore, nel Missouri, nel 1981, il film ruota intorno alla città alle prese con un uomo violento di nome Len Rowan. Dopo uno scontro nella drogheria, Rowan inizia a inseguire la proprietaria Ruth Westerman e suo marito Wes. I crimini violenti di Len che spara a Wes e rivendica l'autodifesa al processo.