The True Story of Lynn Stuart

The film opens with Edmund Pat Brown addressing the audience directly to assert the story's truthfulness. He frames the drug trafficking problem as a societal scourge. The prologue sets the documentary style and the moral stance of the narrative.

A police car chase sweeps through Orange County and ends in a crash that kills both fugitives. The two occupants are revealed to be drug addicts, underscoring the dangers of the trafficking world. This incident establishes the high stakes of the investigation.

An aunt of one of the boys speaks out at a hearing, angrily denouncing police efforts to control illegal narcotics. The crowd's reaction highlights community frustration with the drug trade. The moment deepens the film's social critique.

Phyllis Carter volunteers to join the police as an undercover narcotics agent after being impressed by the need to infiltrate the gang. The department initially rejects the idea, but a murdered informant changes their mind. The choice marks the start of her dangerous mission.

Phyllis is given a new identity as Lynn Stuart, an ex con from West Virginia, and is employed as a waitress in a diner. The setup places her close to the gang's activities and creates the cover needed for deeper access. The disguise is central to the undercover operation.

Phyllis meets Willie Down at the diner and captures his attention, eventually becoming his girlfriend. This relationship provides her entry point into the drug operation. Her alliance with Down is pivotal for gathering inside information.

While deepening her relationship, Carter learns many details of the smuggling scheme and passes information to the police. She believes she is nearing the point where she can identify the top men. The evidence she gathers tightens the investigation against the operation.

Carter's home life suffers as the undercover mission intrudes on her family. Ralph urges her to quit for the sake of their son and domestic stability. She agrees to quit the next day, hoping to restore balance.

The next day Down entangles Carter in a plan to hijack a rival gang's shipment. At the same time her sick son requires care and authorities cannot reach her. The dual pressures heighten the tension around her cover.

Down and the gang execute the hijack, murdering the drivers and the informant used by the rival gang. Carter is deeply unnerved by the killings but feels trapped in the plan. She struggles between telling the truth and protecting her cover.

While in danger, Carter leaves a note in a gas station restroom directing whoever finds it to contact the police and guide them to the gang's motel. The note triggers the turn of the investigation toward the criminals. Time of discovery is tense and crucial.

Police raid the motel after a gas station attendant reports the note and arrests the gang members, including Down and Doc. Carter learns she will be safe and that her cover has not been blown. The operation culminates in the criminals' apprehension.

Carter testifies before a grand jury, finally revealing the truth about the operation under oath. She is reunited with her husband and son and the family is relocated to Denver. The criminals never learn her true undercover identity.