Synopsis

With all the picturesque glamour of the 1940s, The Pardon captures the spirit of the universal need to be loved and forgiven, yet with a surprising twist. Recounting the unlikely but true story of Toni Jo Henry (Jaime King), a woman tried for murder in 1942 Louisiana, this compelling drama unveils the profound inner struggle of a tormented soul as she pleads her innocence to a skeptical jury.

Surviving a legacy of childhood abuse, which lands her in the art deco brothels of the time, Toni Jo briefly discovers love and happiness when she meets and marries the dashing boxer Cowboy Henry (Jason Lewis). Cowboy is soon after sent to prison for murder, leaving the bereft Toni Jo to follow in the footsteps of Bonnie and Clyde as she embarks on an ill-fated mission with accomplice Arkie (John Hawkes). A grisly murder and a series of sensational trials instantly make the beautiful Toni Jo into a celebrity. At the same time, she meets a man who will finally help her free herself. But will she find true redemption in the face of the crimes for which she is accused?