after capturing a man posing as a motorcycle cop, small-town sheriff mark kaminski goes home to his alcoholic wife amy, who resents what their lives have been reduced to and in a drunken fit throws a cake at him. kaminski once worked for the fbi, but five years ago he brutally beat a suspect who sexually assaulted and murdered a young girl. kaminski was given the option to "resign or be prosecuted" by ambitious prosecutor marvin baxter, who is now special federal prosecutor heading up a committee investigating the dealings of luigi patrovita, the strongest of the chicago outfit dons.