 David Rothauser had been interested in the events surrounding the trial of Sacco and Vanzetti since having written of them for his graduate thesis at Boston University in 1973.The concept was first developed as a full-length screenplay that included over 50 characters, but over the 30-year period of its development, Rothauser narrowed the focus to concentrate on Bartolomeo Vanzetti as the film's central figure, and to point out the flaws in the trial which led to then-Governor of Massachusetts Michael Dukakis’ official declaration in August of 1977, that "Sacco and Vanzetti had been treated unjustly and any disgrace should be forever removed from their names.