REACHING ABOVE THE LAW

SYNOPSIS JAMESFREEMAN, ayoungblack man, works as a server in the popular Finesse Casino while trading hard drugs as a retailer on the low for MARC, the manager of the casino. One night, while he waits for his best friend, TEE, to meet with him at Finesse, he receives the news of Tee's death caused by a gunshot from a patrol police officer, OFFICER BLAKE. While trying to get justice for Tee, James is blackmailed to accept that Officer Blake shot Tee as self-defense otherwise he'll go to jail for trading drugs. As areward for James's loyalty to Marc, he gets promoted to selling hard drugs to bigger clients. Meanwhile, he struggles with caring for his estranged mother who battles addiction to alcohol, and his younger sister whose dream is to go to college and become amedical doctor. While trying to deliver drugs to a high-end client, James escapes an attack by a rival gang and he gets rewarded by Marc by introducing him to the robbery aspect of the underworld business. After his first trip with the gang to a bank, James and some other members of Marc's gang decide to create their own gang because Marc pays them very little. James sees this as an opportunity to acquire wealth and power in order to take black kids off the street and avenge the death of his elder brother and his best friends who were killed by racist police officers. He becomes a threat to Marc and corrupt government officials who are using young men to acquire their dirty money. James falls in love with Lilly and they start a family together while his mother dies from stomach cancer. James gives most of his loot from robbing the rich back to the poor community while also running businesses with the help of Lilly. He is approached by CHAN, a businessman who wants to help him create businesses and take down the big menbehind Marc. James, enticed by the opportunity to take down the bad guys, agrees to partner with Chan. James's popularity in the media becomes a threat to a lot of people. Everyone is plotting to take him down. One night, one of his men is killed by Officer Baker just like the way Tee was killed. James kidnaps Baker and makes him confess everything he, Baker, has been doing for Marc and his bosses. They wanted to send Tee and James to jail because Tee threatened to rat the gang out to the police but the plan took a wrong turn when Baker shot Tee. James releases Baker because he doesn't want his kids to become fatherless. The next morning, the police storm James's house, and is arrested for the murder of Baker. James's arrest starts a protest on the streets. Unfortunately for him, there is evidence of him kidnapping Baker and torturing him even though he's not responsible for Chan's death. He ends up being a victim of a corrupt justice system and gets the death penalty.