On February 8, 1977, Tony Kiritsis (1932–2005) went to the Meridian Mortgage Company in Indianapolis to meet with M.L. Hall, the company’s president. Upon arrival, he encountered Richard Hall, the businessman’s son, who informed him that his father was on vacation. Feeling he had been defrauded in a land deal, Kiritsis took Richard hostage, fastening a shotgun to his neck and setting up a “dead man’s switch” mechanism designed to fire if anyone attempted to intervene.

Claiming he had been deceived by the Hall family, he demanded a public apology, five million dollars in compensation for his losses, and full immunity for his actions. What began as an act of sheer desperation quickly turned into a major police case, followed live by the media for nearly three days, in an escalating standoff that sparked debate about laws perceived to benefit the wealthy and powerful.

Directed by Gus Van Sant and written by Austin Kolodney, with historical consultancy by Alan Berry and Mark Enochs—who also worked on the documentary Dead Man’s Line about the same events.