Whit, who is on death row and awaiting execution, reflects on the events of his life that led him to Cell 2455 in San Quentin. He recounts his story in an autobiography that became a best-seller. As a child, Whit steals groceries to help support his impoverished family. As he gets older, he becomes involved in more serious crimes in order to impress a young woman, Jo-Anne. He becomes a ruthless criminal after he is rejected by the woman he loves, Doll, and by his own lawyer when he is arrested and tried for being the "Lover's Lane Bandit." In Cell 2455, he studies law and is able to win several stays of execution, even coming close to execution twice.