Vietnam veteran Judge returns home to Oakland and is impressed and a little intimidated by what he sees. Judge's good friend Cy introduces him to Huey Newton and the Black Panther credo which forever changes Judge's life. Taken into Huey's confidence, and pressured by the police to act as their informant. The ensuing internal struggle is further exacerbated by the sudden overabundance of heroin available in the ghettos of Oakland.