It's 1963, when Trish, 18, walks home at night from her job at a Phoenix theater. Suddenly, a stranger brandishing a knife ties Trish up and forces her into the back seat of his 1953 Packard. He then takes her to a deserted mad and brutally rapes her.

Determined to have her assailant jailed, Trish reports the rape to the skeptical police. It's only after Trish undergoes a polygraph test and an extremely humiliating physical exam, — that the detectives discover that other women have been similarly attacked. The detectives track down the Packard which leads them to Twila Hoffman, who lives with career criminal Ernesto Miranda.

During his interrogation, Miranda voluntarily confesses, and together with Trish's testimony, a jury finds him guilty of kidnapping and first-degree rape. He is sentenced to twenty years.

Since Miranda did not have a lawyer when he confessed, the ACLU petitioned the US Supreme Court to overturn his conviction. Despite the overwhelming public sentiment, the deeply divided Supreme Court, in a controversial five to four decision, finds that Miranda was denied his Sixth Amendment Met to an attorney and his Fifth Amendment Right against self-incrimination. In its decision, Chief Justice Earl Warren set forth a rule requiring that arresting officers give every suspect a verbal warning. The "Miranda Warning" changes America forever, and Miranda gets a new trial.

Now, while suffering PTSD, Trish must testify again in Miranda's retrial, knowing this time it will be his word against hers since his confession can no longer be used. Then, just as Miranda is about to walk, Twila provides surprising last-minute testimony, and then Trish makes a powerful, impassioned statement, resulting in Miranda's conviction.

After his release, Miranda finds celebrity, as he autographs "Miranda Warning Cards" for cash. Then in 1976, Miranda is playing poker in a Phoenix bar when a cheating accusation turns into a fight, and Miranda is stabbed to death. In an ironic twist, the prime suspect is questioned and released after he exercised his "Miranda Rights." His killer flees, never to be found.

Meanwhile, Trish seeks a normal life and marries Charles Shumway. Together they raised five children, but visions of "that night" continually haunt her as triggers are found everywhere — especially on TV crime shows when Miranda rights are read. It gets worse for Trish when Miranda is released from prison early.

Today nearly every developed country has adopted a form of Miranda warning.