In 1991, Cameron Todd Willingham awakes to find his house ablaze. Despite his best-efforts he is unable to save the lives of his three daughters. At his trial, the prosecution, Rick Perry, reveals the fire had been caused deliberately with gasoline spread in the shape of a pentagram and the refrigerator moved to block the door. Witnesses continue to take the stand and portray him as a violent individual. Willingham’s former cellmate, Johnny Webb then takes the stand and declares Willingham told him the fire had been set deliberately. Despite impassioned pleas of Willingham’s innocence by both himself and Stacy, Willingham is sentenced to death.Trial by Fire 2018
During his time on death row, Willingham is beaten and threatened by both the guards and other prisoners, ultimately being placed in solitary confinement where he breaks down all while protesting his innocence and having flashbacks to his life with Stacy. During this it is revealed that Willingham and Stacy had a complicated relationship in which she cheated on him and he acted violently towards her. Nevertheless, the two are shown to care for each other though Stacy ultimately stops replying to his letters at the behest of her mother who believes he is guilty. Willingham reaches out to a new lawyer, Reaves, in the hope of proving his innocence while adapting to his life in prison by submitting to the particularly violent guard Daniels and befriending fellow inmate, Ponchai James. During this time Willingham improves his vocabulary and writing with the help of James who is eventually taken from his cell and executed.
Willingham’s letter ultimately reaches playwright Elizabeth Gilbert who is sympathetic to his case though her ailing ex-husband and their two children both insist he is guilty. Gilbert eventually visits the prison and is taken aback by his calm demeanour with the pair connecting over their mutual struggles as parents and their love for their respective children. Willingham continues to immerse himself in art and poetry and befriends Daniels who also starts to question his innocence when he witnesses Willingham hallucinating about his daughters and reads his letters to Gilbert.